UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

 

FORM 8-K

 

CURRENT REPORT

 

Pursuant to Section 13 OR 15(d) of The Securities Exchange Act of 1934

 

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): October 7, 2019 (October 2, 2019)

 

B. Riley FinanCIAl, Inc.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

Delaware   001-37503   27-0223495

(State or Other Jurisdiction

of Incorporation)

  (Commission File Number)   (IRS Employer
Identification No.)

 

21255 Burbank Boulevard, Suite 400

Woodland Hills, California 91367

         

(818) 884-3737

(Address, Including Zip Code, and Telephone Number, Including Area Code, of Registrant’s Principal Executive Offices)

 

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act: 

 

Title of each class    Trading Symbol(s)    Name of each exchange on which registered
Common Stock, par value $0.0001 per share    RILY    Nasdaq Global Market 
7.25% Senior Notes due 2027    RILYG    Nasdaq Global Market 
7.50% Senior Notes due 2027    RILYZ    Nasdaq Global Market 
6.75% Senior Notes due 2024   RILYO   Nasdaq Global Market
7.375% Senior Notes due 2023    RILYH    Nasdaq Global Market 
6.875% Senior Notes due 2023    RILYI    Nasdaq Global Market 
7.50% Senior Notes due 2021   RILYL   Nasdaq Global Market
6.50% Senior Notes due 2026    RILYN   Nasdaq Global Market
(Title of Class)         

 

Not Applicable

(Former name or former address, if changed since last report)

 

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:

 

Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)
   
Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)
   
Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))
   
Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter).

 

Emerging growth company

 

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act

 

 

 

 

 

 

Item 1.01. Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement.

 

On October 7, 2019, B. Riley Financial, Inc. (the “Company”) closed its underwritten public offering of depositary shares (the “Depositary Shares”), each representing 1/1000th of a share of 6.875% Series A Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Series A Preferred Stock”). The liquidation preference of each share of Series A Preferred Stock is $25,000 ($25.00 per Depositary Share). At the closing, the Company issued 2,000 shares of Series A Preferred Stock represented by 2,000,000 Depositary Shares issued. The offering was conducted pursuant to an underwriting agreement (the “Underwriting Agreement”), dated October 2, 2019, by and among the Company and B. Riley FBR, Inc., as representative of the several underwriters named therein (the “Underwriters”). The Company also granted the underwriters an option to purchase up to 300,000 additional Depositary Shares during the 30 days following the date of the Underwriting Agreement.

 

The Underwriting Agreement contains customary representations, warranties and covenants of the Company, customary conditions to closing, indemnification obligations of the Company and the Underwriters, including for liabilities under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, other obligations of the parties and termination provisions.

 

The foregoing description of the material terms of the Underwriting Agreement is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the Underwriting Agreement, a copy of which is attached hereto as Exhibit 1.1 and is incorporated herein by reference.

 

The Depositary Shares were offered pursuant to the Company’s shelf registration statement on Form S-3 (Registration No. 333-233907) initially filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) on September 23, 2019 and declared effective by the Commission on September 30, 2019. 

 

Attached as Exhibit 5.1 to this Current Report and incorporated herein by reference is a copy of the opinion of The NBD Group, Inc. relating to the validity of the Depositary Shares that may be sold in the offering (the “Legal Opinion”). The Legal Opinion is also filed with reference to, and is hereby incorporated by reference into, the Registration Statement.

 

Item 3.03. Material Modifications to Rights of Security Holders.

 

On October 4, 2019, the Company filed the Certificate of Designation (“Certificate of Designation”) for the Series A Preferred Stock with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware, which became effective upon acceptance for record. The Certificate of Designation classified a total of 10,000 shares of the Company’s authorized shares of preferred stock, $0.0001 par value per share, as Series A Preferred Stock.

 

As set forth in the Certificate of Designation, the Series A Preferred Stock will rank, as to dividend rights and rights upon the Company’s liquidation, dissolution or winding up: (i) senior to all classes or series of the Company’s common stock and to all other equity securities issued by the Company other than equity securities issued with terms specifically providing that those equity securities rank on a parity with the Series A Preferred Stock, (ii) junior to all equity securities issued by the Company with terms specifically providing that those equity securities rank senior to the Series A Preferred Stock with respect to payment of dividends and the distribution of assets upon the Company’s liquidation, dissolution or winding up and (iii) effectively junior to all of the Company’s existing and future indebtedness (including indebtedness convertible into our common stock or preferred stock) and to the indebtedness and other liabilities of (as well as any preferred equity interests held by others in) the Company’s existing or future subsidiaries. Holders of Series A Preferred Stock, when and as authorized by the board of directors of the Company, are entitled to cumulative cash dividends at the rate of 6.875% per annum of the $25,000 liquidation preference ($25.00 per depositary share) per year (equivalent to $1,718.75 or $1.71875 per depositary share). Dividends will be payable quarterly in arrears, on or about the last day of January, April, July and October, beginning on or about October 31, 2019. Generally, the Series A Preferred Stock is not redeemable by the Company prior to October 7, 2024. However, upon a change of control or delisting event, the Company will have the special option to redeem.

 

The foregoing description does not purport to be a complete description and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the Certificate of Designation, which is filed herewith as Exhibit 3.1 and incorporated by reference into this Item 3.03. A specimen preferred stock certificate for the Series A Preferred Stock is filed as Exhibit 4.2 hereto and incorporated herein by reference. The terms of the Depositary Shares are set forth in the Deposit Agreement, dated October 7, 2019, by and among the Company, Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, as depositary, and the holders of the depositary receipts issued thereunder (the “Deposit Agreement”). The Deposit Agreement is filed as Exhibit 4.1 hereto. A specimen stock receipt representing the Depositary Shares is filed as Exhibit 4.2 hereto and incorporated herein by reference.

 

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Item 5.03. Amendments to Articles of Incorporation or Bylaws; Change in Fiscal Year.

 

The information about the Certificate of Designation set forth under Item 3.03 of this Current Report on Form 8-K is hereby incorporated by reference into this Item 5.03.

 

Item 8.01. Other Events.

 

On October 2, 2019, the Company issued a press release announcing the pricing of the offering. A copy of the press release is filed as Exhibit 99.1 to this report and is incorporated herein by reference.

 

On October 7, 2019, the Company issued a press release announcing the closing of the offering. A copy of the press release is filed as Exhibit 99.2 to this report and is incorporated herein by reference.

 

Item 9.01. Financial Statements and Exhibits.

 

(d) Exhibits.

 

Exhibit No.   Description
     
1.1    Underwriting Agreement, dated as of October 2, 2019, by and among the Company and B. Riley FBR, Inc., as representative of the several underwriters named therein. 
     
3.1   Certificate of Designation designating the 6.875% Series A Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock of B. Riley Financial, Inc.
     
4.1   Deposit Agreement, dated October 7, 2019, among B. Riley Financial, Inc., Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, as Depositary, and the holders of depositary receipts, with respect to B. Riley Financial, Inc.’s 6.875% Series A Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock.
     
4.2   Form of Specimen Certificate representing the 6.875% Series A Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock, par value $0.0001 per share, of B. Riley Financial, Inc.
     
4.3   Form of Depositary Receipt (included as Exhibit A to Exhibit 4.1).
     
5.1   Opinion of The NBD Group, Inc.
     
23.1   Consent of The NBD Group, Inc. to the filing of Exhibit 5.1 herewith (included in Exhibit 5.1).
     
99.1   Pricing Press Release, dated October 2, 2019.
     
99.2   Closing Press Release, dated October 7, 2019.

 

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SIGNATURES

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

 

October 7, 2019 B. RILEY FINANCIAL, INC.
   
  By: /s/ Phillip J. Ahn
    Name: Phillip J. Ahn
    Title: Chief Financial Officer and
Chief Operating Officer

 

 

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Exhibit 1.1

 

Execution Version

 

B. RILEY FINANCIAL, INC.
6.875% SERIES A CUMULATIVE PERPETUAL PREFERRED STOCK
UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT

 

October 2, 2019

 

 

B. Riley FBR, Inc.

As representative of the several underwriters

 

c/o B. Riley FBR, Inc.

299 Park Avenue, 7th Floor

New York, NY 10171

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

B. Riley Financial, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), proposes to issue and sell to the several Underwriters on Schedule A hereto (the “Underwriters”), for whom B. Riley FBR, Inc. is acting as representative (in such capacity, the “Representative”), 2,000,000 Depositary Shares (the “Firm Shares”), each representing 1/1000th of a share of the Company’s 6.875% Series A Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock, par value $0.0001 per share and liquidation preference of $25,000 per share (the “Preferred Shares”). In addition, the Company proposes to grant to the Underwriters the option to purchase from the Company up to an additional 300,000 Depositary Shares (the “Option Shares”), each representing 1/1000th of a Preferred Share, to cover overallotments, if any. The Firm Shares and, if and to the extent such option is exercised, the Option Shares are hereinafter collectively referred to as the “Shares.”

 

The Preferred Shares, when issued, will be deposited against delivery of depositary receipts (the “Depositary Receipts”), which will evidence the Shares that are to be issued by Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, as depositary (the “Depositary”), pursuant to the terms of a deposit agreement to be entered into among the Company, the Depositary, and the holders from time to time of Depositary Receipts delivered thereunder (the “Deposit Agreement”). For purposes of this Agreement, “Depositary Shares” means the depositary shares, each representing 1/1000th ownership interest in a Preferred Share. The Shares shall have the terms set forth in Schedule B hereto. The Shares will be issued to Cede & Co., as nominee of the Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) pursuant to a blanket letter of representations (the “DTC Agreement”) to be dated on or prior to the Closing Date (as defined herein), between the Company and DTC.

 

The Company and the Underwriters agree as follows:

 

1. The Offering. Upon the basis of the representations and warranties and subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the Company agrees to issue and sell to the Underwriters, severally and not jointly, the aggregate principal amount of Firm Shares set forth opposite the name of such Underwriter on Schedule A, and each of the Underwriters, severally and not jointly, agrees to purchase from the Company at the price (the “Purchase Price”) set forth in Schedule B hereto the aggregate principal amount of Firm Shares set forth opposite the name of such Underwriter on Schedule A hereto subject to adjustment in accordance with Section 7 hereof.

 

 

 

 

In addition, the Company hereby grants to the several Underwriters the option to purchase and, upon the basis of the representations and warranties and subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the Underwriters shall have the right to purchase, severally and not jointly, from the Company, ratably in accordance with the number of Firm Shares to be purchased by each of them, all or a portion of the Option Shares, for the sole purpose of covering overallotments made in the offering of the Firm Shares, at the same Purchase Price to be paid by the Underwriters for the Firm Shares (without giving effect to any accrued interest from the Closing Date to the Additional Closing Date). This option may be exercised by the Representative on behalf of the several Underwriters at any time and from time to time in whole or in part by written notice from the Representative to the Company, which notice may be given at any time within 30 days from the date of this Agreement. Such notice shall set forth (i) the aggregate principal amount of Option Shares as to which the option is being exercised and (ii) the date, time and place at which such Option Shares are to be delivered (such date, the “Additional Closing Date” and such time of such date, the “Additional Time of Purchase”); provided, however, that the Additional Time of Purchase may be simultaneous with, but shall not be earlier than the Time of Purchase (as defined below) and shall not be earlier than two nor later than five full business days after delivery of such notice of exercise. The aggregate principal amount of Option Shares to be sold to each Underwriter shall be the aggregate principal amount which bears the same proportion to the total aggregate principal amount of Option Shares being purchased as the number of Firm Shares set forth opposite the name of such Underwriter on Schedule A hereto bears to the total aggregate principal amount of Firm Shares, subject to adjustment in accordance with Section 7 hereof. The Representative may cancel the option at any time prior to its expiration by giving written notice of such cancellation to the Company.

 

2. Representations and Warranties of the Company. The Company represents and warrants to, and agrees with, the Underwriters that:

 

(a) The Company has prepared and filed in conformity with the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), and published rules and regulations thereunder (the “Rules and Regulations”) adopted by the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) a “shelf” Registration Statement (as hereinafter defined) on Form S-3 (File No. 333-233907), which was declared effective by the Commission as of September 30, 2019 (the “Effective Date”), including a base prospectus relating to the securities registered pursuant to such Registration Statement (the “Base Prospectus”), and such amendments and supplements thereto as may have been required to the date of this Agreement. The term “Registration Statement” as used in this Agreement means the registration statement (including all exhibits, financial schedules and all documents and information deemed to be a part of the Registration Statement pursuant to Rule 430B of the Rules and Regulations), as amended and/or supplemented to the date of this Agreement, including the Base Prospectus. The Registration Statement is effective under the Securities Act, and no stop order preventing or suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or suspending or preventing the use of the Prospectus (as defined below) has been issued by the Commission, and no proceedings for that purpose have been instituted or are threatened by the Commission. The Company has prepared a prospectus supplement to the Base Prospectus included as part of such registration statement specifically relating to the Placement Shares (the “Prospectus Supplement”) and has or will file such Prospectus Supplement with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) of the Rules and Regulations. The term “Prospectus” as used in this Agreement means the Base Prospectus, as it may be supplemented by the Prospectus Supplement, in the forms in which such Base Prospectus or Prospectus Supplement has been or is to be filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) of the Rules and Regulations, except that if any revised prospectus or prospectus supplement shall be provided to the Underwriters by the Company for use in connection with the offering and sale of the Shares (the “Offering”) which differs from the Prospectus (whether or not such revised prospectus or prospectus supplement is required to be filed by the Company pursuant to Rule 424(b) of the Rules and Regulations), the term “Prospectus” shall refer to such revised prospectus or prospectus supplement, as the case may be, from and after the time it is first provided to the Underwriters for such use. Any reference herein to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include the documents incorporated by reference therein pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3 which were filed under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), on or before the last to occur of the Effective Date, or the date of the Prospectus, and any reference herein to the terms “amend,” “amendment,” or “supplement” with respect to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include (i) the filing of any document under the Exchange Act after the Effective Date or the date of the Prospectus, as the case may be, which is incorporated by reference and (ii) any such document so filed. The Company will file an abbreviated registration statement to register additional securities pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Rules and Regulations (the “462(b) Registration Statement”), and any reference herein to the Registration Statement shall also be deemed to include such 462(b) Registration Statement.

 

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(b) As of the Applicable Time (as defined below) and as of the Time of Purchase and any Additional Time of Purchase, as the case may be, none of (i) any General Use Free Writing Prospectus (as defined below) issued at or prior to the Applicable Time, and the Pricing Prospectus (as defined below), all considered together (collectively, the “General Disclosure Package”), (ii) any individual Limited Use Free Writing Prospectus (as defined below) issued at or prior to the Time of Purchase and any Additional Time of Purchase, as the case may be, or (iii) the bona fide electronic road show, if any (as defined in Rule 433(h)(5) of the Rules and Regulations), that has been made available without restriction to any person, when considered together with the General Disclosure Package, included or will include any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted, or as of the Time of Purchase and any Additional Time of Purchase, as the case may be, will omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided, however, that the Company makes no representations or warranties as to information contained in or omitted from the General Disclosure Package, any individual Limited Use Free Writing Prospectus or the bona fide electronic road show, if any, in reliance upon, and in conformity with, written information furnished to the Company by or on behalf of the Underwriters specifically for inclusion therein, which information the parties hereto agree is limited to the “Underwriter’s Information” which is defined as the information set forth in Section 15. As used in this Section 2(b) and elsewhere in this Agreement:

 

Applicable Time” means 1:00 P.M., Los Angeles time, on the date of this Agreement.

 

General Use Free Writing Prospectus” means any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus identified on Schedule C to this Agreement.

 

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Issuer Free Writing Prospectus” means any “issuer free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 433 of the Rules and Regulations relating to the Shares in the form filed or required to be filed with the Commission or, if not required to be filed, in the form retained in the Company’s records pursuant to Rule 433(g) of the Rules and Regulations.

 

Limited Use Free Writing Prospectuses” means any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that is not a General Use Free Writing Prospectus.

 

Pricing Prospectus” means the Base Prospectus as amended and supplemented immediately prior to the Applicable Time, including any document incorporated by reference therein and any prospectus supplement deemed to be a part thereof.

 

(c) No order preventing or suspending the use of any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or the Prospectus relating to the Offering has been issued by the Commission, and no proceeding for that purpose or pursuant to Section 8A of the Securities Act has been instituted or threatened by the Commission.

 

(d) At the time the Registration Statement became effective, at the Applicable Time and at the Time of Purchase and any Additional Time of Purchase, as the case may be, the Registration Statement conformed and will conform in all material respects to the requirements of the Securities Act and the Rules and Regulations and did not and will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; the Prospectus, at the time the Prospectus became effective and at the Time of Purchase and any Additional Time of Purchase, as the case may be, conformed and will conform in all material respects to the requirements of the Securities Act and the Rules and Regulations and did not and will not contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided, however, that the foregoing representations and warranties in this Section 2(d) shall not apply to information contained in or omitted from the Registration Statement or the Prospectus in reliance upon, and in conformity with, the Underwriter’s Information.

 

(e) Each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, if any, as of its issue date and at all subsequent times through the completion of the public offer and sale of the Shares or until any earlier date that the Company notified or notifies the Representative as described in Section 4(c), did not, does not and will not include any information that conflicted, conflicts or will conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement, Pricing Prospectus or the Prospectus, including any document incorporated by reference therein and any prospectus supplement deemed to be a part thereof that has not been superseded or modified, or includes an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or would omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The foregoing sentence does not apply to statements in or omissions from any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus in reliance upon, and in conformity with, the Underwriter’s Information.

 

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(f) The documents incorporated by reference in the Prospectus, when they became effective or were filed with the Commission, as the case may be, conformed in all material respects to the requirements of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, as applicable, the Rules and Regulations and the rules and regulations of the Commission under the Exchange Act, and none of such documents contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; and any further documents so filed and incorporated by reference in the Prospectus, when such documents become effective or are filed with the Commission, as the case may be, will conform in all material respects to the requirements of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, as applicable, the Rules and Regulations and the rules and regulations of the Commission under the Exchange Act and will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

 

(g) The Company is not an “ineligible issuer” in connection with the Offering pursuant to Rules 164, 405 and 433 under the Securities Act. The Company has not, directly or indirectly, distributed and will not distribute any offering material in connection with the Offering other than the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus, the Prospectus, any General Use Free Writing Prospectuses and any Limited Use Free Writing Prospectuses reviewed and consented to by the Representative (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld). The Company will file with the Commission all Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses (other than a “road show,” as defined in Rule 433(d)(8) of the Rules and Regulations), if any, in the time and manner required under Rules 163(b)(2) and 433(d) of the Rules and Regulations.

 

(h) Each of the Company and its Subsidiaries has been duly organized and is validly existing as a corporation or other legal entity in good standing (or the foreign equivalent thereof) under the laws of its jurisdiction of incorporation or organization. Each of the Company and its Subsidiaries is duly qualified to do business and is in good standing as a foreign corporation or other legal entity in each jurisdiction in which its ownership or lease of its properties or the conduct of its business requires such qualification and has all power and authority (corporate or other) necessary to own or hold its properties and to conduct the businesses in which each is engaged, except where the failure to so qualify or have such power or authority would not (i) have, singularly or in the aggregate, a material adverse effect on the condition (financial or otherwise), results of operations, assets, or business of the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, or (ii) impair in any material respect the ability of the Company to perform its obligations under this Agreement or to consummate any transactions contemplated by this Agreement, the General Disclosure Package, or the Prospectus (any such effect as described in clauses (i) or (ii), a “Material Adverse Effect”). “Subsidiary” means any subsidiary of the Company as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act.

 

(i) The Company has the full right, power and authority to execute and deliver, and perform its obligations under, this Agreement, the Deposit Agreement and the DTC Agreement.

 

(j) This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company.

 

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(k) The Deposit Agreement has been duly authorized by the Company and, as of the Closing Date, will be duly executed and delivered by the Company and, assuming it has been executed and delivered by the Depositary, will constitute a valid and binding obligation of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, except as the enforcement thereof may be subject to (i) applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other similar laws now or thereafter in effect relating to creditors’ rights generally and (ii) general principles of equity (regardless of whether enforcement is considered in a proceeding in equity or law).

 

(l) The DTC Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and is a valid and binding obligation of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, except as the enforcement thereof may be subject to (i) applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other similar laws now or thereafter in effect relating to creditors’ rights generally and (ii) general principles of equity (regardless of whether enforcement is considered in a proceeding in equity or law).

 

(m) The Preferred Shares have been duly authorized by the Company and when the Shares (evidenced by the related Depositary Receipts) are issued and delivered in accordance with the terms of the Deposit Agreement, the Preferred Shares will be validly issued and outstanding, fully paid and non-assessable, not subject to any preemptive or other similar rights, will conform as to legal matters in all material respects to the descriptions thereof contained in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the General Disclosure Package, and will entitle the holders of the Preferred Shares to the rights and benefits provided therein and in the Certificate of Designation (the “COD”). The deposit of the Preferred Shares in respect of the Shares by the Company in accordance with the Deposit Agreement has been duly authorized and, when the Shares (evidenced by the related Depositary Receipts) are issued and delivered in accordance with the terms of the Deposit Agreement, the Shares will represent legal and valid interests in such Preferred Shares, and the Shares (evidenced by the related Depositary Receipts) will entitle holders thereof to the rights and benefits provided therein and in the Deposit Agreement.

 

(n) The Shares have been duly authorized by the Company and, upon deposit of the Preferred Shares with the Depositary in accordance with the provisions of the Deposit Agreement and the due execution of the Depositary Receipt evidencing the Shares by one of the Depositary’s authorized officers, the Shares will be duly and validly issued and outstanding, fully paid and non-assessable and will represent legal and valid interests in the Preferred Shares.

 

(o) The Shares and the Deposit Agreement conform in all material respect to the statements relating thereto contained in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus; and other than as contemplated in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, none of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries has issued any preferred securities or entered into any agreement or arrangement relating to the issuance of any preferred securities.

 

(p) All issued and outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company outstanding prior to the issuance of the Firm Shares have been duly authorized and are validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable and were issued in compliance in all material respects with United States federal and applicable state securities laws. All of the Company’s options, warrants and other rights to purchase or exchange any securities for shares of the Company’s capital stock have been duly authorized and validly issued and were issued in compliance in all material respects with United States federal and applicable state securities laws. None of the outstanding shares of capital stock was issued in violation of any preemptive rights, rights of first refusal or other similar rights to subscribe for or purchase securities of the Company.

 

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(q) The membership interests, capital stock, partnership interests or other similar equity interests, as applicable, of each Subsidiary, have been duly authorized and validly issued, are fully paid and nonassessable and, except to the extent set forth in the General Disclosure Package, are owned by the Company directly, free and clear of any claim, lien, encumbrance, security interest, restriction upon voting or transfer or any other claim of any third party.

 

(r) None of (1) the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and the Deposit Agreement by the Company and (2) the issuance and sale of the Shares by the Company (with or without notice or lapse of time or both) (x) conflicts with or results in a breach or violation of any of the terms or provisions of, constitutes a default under, gives rise to any right of termination or other right or the cancellation or acceleration of any right or obligation or loss of a benefit under or pursuant to, any Deposit Agreement, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement or other agreement or instrument to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is bound or to which any of the property or assets of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is subject, (y) results in any violation of the provisions of the certificate of incorporation or bylaws (or analogous governing instruments, as applicable) of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, or (z) results in any violation of provisions of any law, statute, rule, regulation, judgment, order or decree of any court or governmental agency or body, domestic or foreign, having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or any of their properties or assets; except, with respect to clauses (x) or (z), any contravention which would not have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(s) No consent, approval, authorization or order of, or qualification with, any governmental body or agency or self-regulatory authority is required for the performance by the Company of its obligations under this Agreement, the Deposit Agreement and the DTC Agreement, except as have been obtained or as may be required by (1) the securities or Blue Sky laws of the various states or (2) the bylaws, rules and regulations of FINRA or the NASDAQ Capital Market.

 

(t) Marcum LLP, who has audited certain financial statements of the Company and related schedules included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, is an independent registered public accounting firm with respect to the Company as required by the Securities Act and the Rules and Regulations and the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States). To the knowledge of the Company, except as pre-approved in accordance with the requirements set forth in Section 10A of the Exchange Act, the applicable independent registered public accounting firms above have not been engaged by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, as applicable, to perform any “prohibited activities” (as defined in Section 10A of the Exchange Act).

 

(u) BDO USA LLP, who has audited certain financial statements of FBR & Co. (“FBRCO”) and magicJack Vocaltec Ltd. an Israeli corporation (“magicJack”), and related schedules included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, was an independent registered public accounting firm with respect to FBRCO and magicJack, as applicable, as required by the Securities Act and the Rules and Regulations and the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States).

 

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(v) The financial statements, together with the related notes and schedules included or incorporated by reference in the General Disclosure Package, the Prospectus and in the Registration Statement fairly present, in all material respects, the financial position and the results of operations and changes in financial position of the Company and its consolidated Subsidiaries and other consolidated entities at the respective dates or for the respective periods therein specified. Such statements and related notes and schedules have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States (“GAAP”) applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods involved except as may be set forth in the related notes included or incorporated by reference in the General Disclosure Package. The financial statements, together with the related notes and schedules, included or incorporated by reference in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus comply in all material respects with the Securities Act, the Exchange Act, and the Rules and Regulations and the rules and regulations under the Exchange Act. No other financial statements or supporting schedules or exhibits are required by the Securities Act or the Rules and Regulations to be described, or included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus. There is no pro forma or as adjusted financial information which is required to be included in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package, or the Prospectus or a document incorporated by reference therein in accordance with the Securities Act and the Rules and Regulations which has not been included or incorporated as so required. The pro forma financial statements of the Company and its Subsidiaries and the related notes thereto included or incorporated by reference in to the General Disclosure Package, the Prospectus and the Registration Statement present fairly, in all material respects, the information contained therein, have been prepared, in all material respects, in accordance with the Commission’s rules and guidelines with respect to pro forma financial statements and have been properly presented on the bases described therein, and the assumptions used in the preparation thereof are reasonable and the adjustments used therein are appropriate to give effect to the transactions and circumstances referred to therein.

 

(w) The financial statements of each of FBRCO and magicJack, together with the related notes and schedules included or incorporated by reference in the General Disclosure Package, the Prospectus and in the Registration Statement fairly present, in all material respects, the financial position and the results of operations and changes in financial position of each of FBRCO and magicJack and each of its respective consolidated Subsidiaries and other consolidated entities at the respective dates or for the respective periods therein specified. Such statements and related notes and schedules have been prepared in accordance with GAAP applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods involved except as may be set forth in the related notes included or incorporated by reference in the General Disclosure Package. Such financial statements, together with the related notes and schedules, included or incorporated by reference in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus comply in all material respects with the Securities Act, the Exchange Act, and the Rules and Regulations and the rules and regulations under the Exchange Act.

 

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(x) The Company and its Subsidiaries do not have any material liabilities or obligations, direct or contingent (including any off-balance sheet obligations or any “variable interest entities” within the meaning of the Financial Accounting Standards Board’s Accounting Standards Codification Topic 810), which are not disclosed in the General Disclosure Package, the Prospectus and the Registration Statement.

 

(y) Since the date of the most recent financial statements of the Company included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, (i) there has not occurred any event or circumstance that has had or would reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect and (ii) each of the Company and its Subsidiaries, considered as one entity, has not incurred any material liability or obligation, indirect, direct or contingent, not in the ordinary course of business nor entered into any material transaction or agreement not in the ordinary course of business, in each case, other than is set forth or contemplated therein.

 

(z) There is no legal or governmental proceeding, action, suit or claim pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened, to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is a party, or to which any of the properties or assets of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is subject, (i) other than proceedings accurately described in all material respects in the General Disclosure Package or proceedings that would not have a Material Adverse Effect, or (ii) that are required to be described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus and are not so described; and there are no statutes, regulations, contracts or other documents to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is subject or by which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is bound that are required to be described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus or to be filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement that are not described or filed as required.

 

(aa) Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is or, after giving effect to the Offering and the application of the proceeds thereof as described in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, will become an “investment company” within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.

 

(bb) Except to the extent expressly set forth in the General Disclosure Package as part of the offering contemplated hereby, neither the Company, its Subsidiaries nor any of the Company’s or its Subsidiaries’ officers, directors or affiliates has bid for or purchased, for any account in which it or any of its affiliated purchasers has a beneficial interest, any Shares, or attempted to induce any person to purchase any Shares; and has not, and has not caused its affiliated purchasers to, make bids or purchase for the purpose of creating actual, or apparent, active trading in or of raising the price of the Shares.

 

(cc) The Company and its Subsidiaries have good and marketable title to all real and personal property owned by them which is material to the business of the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, in each case free and clear of all liens, encumbrances and defects of title except such as are described in the General Disclosure Package or would not individually or in the aggregate have a Material Adverse Effect; and any real property and buildings held under lease by the Company and its Subsidiaries are held by them under valid, subsisting and enforceable leases except such as are described in the General Disclosure Package or would not have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

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(dd) Except as disclosed in the General Disclosure Package, neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is in violation of any statute, rule, regulation, decision or order of any governmental agency or body or any court, relating to the use, disposal or release of hazardous or toxic substances or relating to the protection or restoration of the environment or human exposure to hazardous or toxic substances (collectively, “Environmental Laws”), operates any real property contaminated with any substance that is subject to any Environmental Laws, is liable for any off-site disposal or contamination pursuant to any Environmental Laws, or is subject to any claim relating to any Environmental Laws, which violation, contamination, liability or claim would individually or in the aggregate have a Material Adverse Effect; and the Company is not aware of any pending investigation which might lead to such a claim.

 

(ee) Except as described in the General Disclosure Package, the Company and its Subsidiaries own or possess, or have the right to use, adequate trademarks, trade names and other rights to inventions, know-how, patents, copyrights, confidential information and other intellectual property (collectively, “Intellectual Property Rights”) necessary to conduct the business now operated by them, or presently employed by them, and have not received any notice of infringement of or conflict with asserted rights of others with respect to any Intellectual Property Rights, except such as will not individually or in the aggregate have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(ff) Each of the Company and its Subsidiaries maintains a system of internal accounting and other controls (A) sufficient to provide reasonable assurances that (i) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorizations; (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP and to maintain accountability for assets; (iii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; and (iv) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences and (B) which are effective in all material respects to perform the functions for which they were established. Except as described in the General Disclosure Package, since the end of the Company’s most recent audited fiscal year, there has been (A) no material weakness or significant deficiencies in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting (whether or not remediated), (B) no change in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting, and (C) no fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting.

 

(gg) No relationship, direct or indirect, exists between or among the Company and any of its Subsidiaries, on the one hand, and the directors, officers, stockholders (or analogous interest holders), customers or suppliers of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or any of their affiliates, on the other hand, which is required to be described in the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus or a document incorporated by reference therein and which is not so described.

 

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(hh) Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries, nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any of its directors, officers, agents, employees, affiliates or other person acting on their behalf is aware of or has taken any action, directly or indirectly, that has violated or would result in a violation by such persons of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder (the “FCPA”), including, without limitation, making use of the mails or any means or instrumentality of interstate commerce corruptly in furtherance of an offer, payment, promise to pay or authorization of the payment of any money, or other property, gift, promise to give, or authorization of the giving of anything of value to any “foreign official” (as such term is defined in the FCPA) or any foreign political party or official thereof or any candidate for foreign political office, in contravention of the FCPA. The Company and its Subsidiaries have instituted and maintain policies and procedures designed to ensure, and which are reasonably expected to continue to ensure, continued compliance therewith.

 

(ii) The operations of the Company and its Subsidiaries are and have been conducted at all times, in compliance with applicable financial recordkeeping and reporting requirements of the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970, as amended, the money laundering statutes of all applicable jurisdictions, the rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar applicable rules, regulations or guidelines, issued, administered or enforced by any governmental agency (collectively, the “Money Laundering Laws”) and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Company or any of its Subsidiaries with respect to the Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened.

 

(jj) Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is currently subject to any U.S. sanctions administered by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Treasury Department (“OFAC”); and the Company will not directly or indirectly use the proceeds of this Offering, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any Subsidiary, joint venture partner or other person or entity, for the purpose of financing the activities of any person currently subject to any U.S. sanctions administered by OFAC.

 

(kk) No person or entity has the right to require registration of any securities of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries under the Securities Act because of the filing or effectiveness of the Registration Statement, except as set forth in therein or in the General Disclosure Package.

 

(ll) Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is a party to any contract, agreement or understanding with any person (other than this Agreement) that would give rise to a valid claim against the Company or the Underwriters for a brokerage commission, finder’s fee or like payment in connection with the Offering or any transaction contemplated by this Agreement, the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus.

 

(mm) No forward-looking statement (within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act and Section 21E of the Exchange Act) contained in either the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus has been made or reaffirmed without a reasonable basis or has been disclosed other than in good faith.

 

(nn) The Company is subject to, and in compliance in all material respects with, the reporting requirements of Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act. As of the filing date of the Registration Statement and as of any update of the Registration Statement pursuant to Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act (including the filing of any Annual Report on Form 10-K), the Company was eligible to file a “shelf” Registration Statement on Form S-3 with the Commission.

 

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(oo) The Company is in compliance in all material respects with all applicable provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and all applicable rules and regulations promulgated thereunder or is implementing the provisions thereof that are currently in effect.

 

(pp) The statistical and market-related data included in the General Disclosure Package are based on or derived from sources that the Company believes to be reliable and accurate, and such data agree with the sources from which they are derived.

 

(qq) Except as otherwise disclosed in the General Disclosure Package, each of the Company and its Subsidiaries possess such valid and current certificates, authorizations or permits issued by the appropriate state, federal or foreign regulatory agencies or bodies necessary to conduct their respective businesses, and neither the Company nor any Subsidiary of the Company has received, or has any reason to believe that it will receive, any notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of, or non-compliance with, any such certificate, authorization or permit which, individually or in the aggregate, if the subject of an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding, could result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(rr) Each of the Company and its Subsidiaries have filed all material federal, state and foreign income and franchise tax returns or have properly requested extensions thereof and have paid all material taxes required to be paid by any of them and, if due and payable, any related or similar assessment, fine or penalty levied against any of them except as may be being contested in good faith and by appropriate proceedings.

 

(ss) Except as set forth in the General Disclosure Package, neither the Company nor any Subsidiary directly or indirectly controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with, or is an associated person (within the meaning of Article I, Section 1(ee) of the By-laws of FINRA) of, any member firm of FINRA.

 

(tt) No approval of the stockholders of the Company under the rules and regulations of NASDAQ (including Rule 5635 of the NASDAQ Capital Rules) is required for the Company to issue and deliver the Shares.

 

(uu) Except as described in the General Disclosure Package, the Company has not sold, issued or distributed any securities during the six-month period preceding the date hereof, including any sales pursuant to Rule 144A under, or Regulation D or S of, the Securities Act, other than shares of Common Stock issued pursuant to employee benefit plans, qualified equity compensation plans or other employee compensation plans or pursuant to outstanding options, rights or warrants.

 

(vv) Except as otherwise disclosed in the General Disclosure Package, each of the Company and its Subsidiaries maintains insurance issued by nationally recognized insurers covering their respective properties, operations, personnel and businesses, with policies in such amounts and with such deductibles and covering such risks as the Company reasonably deems adequate. The Company has no reason to believe that it or any of its Subsidiaries will not be able (i) to renew its existing insurance coverage as and when such policies expire or (ii) to obtain comparable coverage from similar institutions as may be necessary or appropriate to conduct its business as now conducted and at a cost that would not result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

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(ww) The Company nor, to the Company’s knowledge, any of its respective directors, officers or affiliates has not taken, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that might be reasonably expected to cause or result in stabilization or manipulation of the price of any “reference security” (as defined in Rule 100 of Regulation M under the 1934 Act (“Regulation M”)), whether to facilitate the sale or resale of the Shares or otherwise, and has taken no action which would directly or indirectly violate Regulation M.

 

(xx) The Company has not distributed and will not distribute, prior to the later of (i) the expiration or termination of the option granted to the Underwriters in Section 1 and (ii) the completion of distribution of the Shares, any offering material in connection with the offering and sale of the Shares other than a preliminary prospectus, the Pricing Prospectus, the Prospectus, any free writing prospectus reviewed and consented to by the Representative, or the Registration Statement.

 

(yy) Any certificate signed by or on behalf of the Company and delivered to the Representative or to counsel for the Underwriters shall be deemed to be a representation and warranty by the Company to the Underwriters as to the matters covered thereby.

 

3. The Closing.

 

(a) Payment of the purchase price for the Firm Shares shall be made to the Company by Federal Funds wire transfer against delivery of such Firm Shares to or as designated by the Representative through the facilities of DTC for the respective accounts of the Underwriters. Such payment and delivery shall be made at 7 A.M., Los Angeles time, on October 7, 2019 (such date, the “Closing Date”). The time at which such payment and delivery are to be made is hereinafter sometimes called the “Time of Purchase.” Electronic transfer of the Firm Shares shall be made at the Time of Purchase in such names and in such denominations as the Representative shall specify.

 

(b) Payment of the purchase price for the Option Shares shall be made at the Additional Time of Purchase in the same manner and at the same office and time of day as the payment for the Firm Shares. Electronic transfer of the Option Shares shall be made at the Additional Time of Purchase in such names and in such denominations as the Representative shall specify.

 

(c) Delivery of the documents required to be delivered to the Underwriters pursuant to Sections 4 and 6 hereof shall be at 7 A.M., Los Angeles time, on the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, at the offices of Duane Morris LLP, 1540 Broadway, New York, New York 10036.

 

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4. Further Covenants and Agreements of the Company.

 

The Company covenants and agrees with the Underwriters as follows:

 

(a) To prepare the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, if necessary, in a form approved by the Representative, and file such Rule 462(b) Registration Statement with the Commission on the date hereof; to prepare the Prospectus in a form approved by the Representative, containing information previously omitted at the time of effectiveness of the Registration Statement in reliance on rules 430A, 430B and 430C and to file such Prospectus pursuant to Rule 424(b) of the Rules and Regulations not later than the second business day following the execution and delivery of this Agreement or, if applicable, such earlier time as may be required by Rule 430A of the Rules and Regulations; to notify the Representative promptly of the Company’s intention to file or prepare any supplement or amendment to any Registration Statement or to the Prospectus in connection with this Offering and to provide a draft of any such amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus to the Representative, for review within an amount of time that is reasonably practical under the circumstances and prior to filing, and to file no such amendment or supplement to which the Representative shall have reasonably objected in writing; to advise the Representative, promptly after it receives notice thereof, of the time when any amendment to any Registration Statement has been filed in connection with the Offering or becomes effective or any supplement to the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus or any amended Prospectus has been filed and to furnish the Representative with copies thereof; to file within the time periods prescribed by the Exchange Act, including any extension thereof, all material required to be filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant to Rule 433(d) or 163(b)(2), as the case may be; to advise the Representative, promptly after it receives notice thereof, of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order or of any order preventing or suspending the use of any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or the Prospectus, of the suspension of the qualification of the Shares for offering or sale in any jurisdiction, of the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for any such purpose, or of any request by the Commission for the amending or supplementing of the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus or for additional information; and, in the event of the issuance of any stop order or of any order preventing or suspending the use of any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or the Prospectus or suspending any such qualification, and promptly to use its best efforts to obtain the withdrawal of such order.

 

(b) Prior to the Closing Date, the Board of Directors of the Company and the pricing committee of the Board of Directors, shall adopt the COD designating the “Series A Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock” and establishing the rights, preferences and entitlements thereof, which shall conforms in all material respects to the description thereof in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the General Disclosure Package. The Company shall file such COD with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware, accompanied by all fees required to be paid therewith, and cause the COD to become effective on or prior to the Closing Date.

 

(c) To prepare a final term sheet for the Shares, containing solely a description of final terms of the Shares and the offering thereof, in the form approved by you and attached as Schedule D hereto and to file such term sheet pursuant to, and within the time required by, Rule 433(d).

 

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(d) That, unless it obtains the prior consent of the Representative, it has not made and will not make any offer relating to the Shares that would constitute a “free writing prospectus” as defined in Rule 405 of the Rules and Regulations unless the prior written consent of the Representative has been received (each, a “Permitted Free Writing Prospectus”), other than a free writing prospectus containing the information contained in the final term sheet prepared and filed pursuant to Section 4(b) hereof; provided that the prior written consent of the Representative shall be deemed to have been given in respect of the Free Writing Prospectuses included in Schedule C hereto and any electronic road show, if any. The Company shall furnish to the Representative, a reasonable amount of time prior to the proposed time of filing or use thereof, a copy of each proposed free writing prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto to be prepared by or on behalf of, used by, or referred to by the Company. The Company represents that it has treated and agrees that it will treat each Permitted Free Writing Prospectus as an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, and that it has and will comply with the requirements of Rules 164 and 433 of the Rules and Regulations applicable to any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, including the requirements relating to timely filing with the Commission, legending and record keeping.

 

(e) If at any time when a Prospectus relating to the Shares is required to be delivered under the Securities Act, any event occurs or condition exists as a result of which the Prospectus, as then amended or supplemented, would include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, or the Registration Statement, as then amended or supplemented, would include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, or if for any other reason it is necessary at any time to amend or supplement any Registration Statement or the Prospectus to comply with the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, the Company will promptly notify the Representative, and upon the Representative’ request, the Company will promptly prepare and file with the Commission, at the Company’s expense, an amendment to the Registration Statement or an amendment or supplement to the Prospectus that corrects such statement or omission or effects such compliance. The Company consents to the use of the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto by the Underwriters.

 

(f) To the extent not available on the Commission’s EDGAR system, to make generally available to its security holders as soon as practicable, but in any event not later than eighteen (18) months after the effective date of each Registration Statement (as defined in Rule 158(c) of the Rules and Regulations), an earnings statement of the Company and its consolidated Subsidiaries (which need not be audited) complying with Section 11(a) of the Securities Act and the Rules and Regulations (including, at the option of the Company, Rule 158).

 

(g) To take promptly from time to time such actions as the Representative may reasonably request to qualify the Shares for offering and sale under the securities or Blue Sky laws of such jurisdictions (domestic or foreign) as the Representative may designate and to continue such qualifications in effect, and to comply with such laws, for so long as required to permit the offer and sale of Shares in such jurisdictions; provided that the Company and its Subsidiaries shall not be obligated to qualify as foreign corporations in any jurisdiction in which they are not so qualified or to file a general consent to service of process in any jurisdiction.

 

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(h) To supply the Underwriters with copies of all correspondence to and from, and all documents issued to and by, the Commission in connection with the registration of the Shares under the Securities Act or the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto or document incorporated by reference therein.

 

(i) Prior to the Time of Purchase and the Additional Time of Purchase, if any, not to issue any press release or other communication directly or indirectly or hold any press conference (other than the Company’s customary quarterly press release and conference call) without the prior written consent of the Representative (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld).

 

(j) Until the Representative shall have notified the Company of the completion of the Offering, that the Company will not, and will cause its affiliated purchasers (as defined in Regulation M under the Exchange Act) not to, either alone or with one or more other persons, and except to the extent expressly set forth in the General Disclosure Package as part of the offering contemplated hereby, bid for or purchase, for any account in which it or any of its affiliated purchasers has a beneficial interest, any Shares, or attempt to induce any person to purchase any Shares; and not to, and to cause its affiliated purchasers not to, make bids or purchase for the purpose of creating actual, or apparent, active trading in or of raising the price of the Shares.

 

(k) To apply the net proceeds from the sale of the Shares as set forth in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus under the heading “Use of Proceeds.”

 

(l) Not to sell, offer to sell, contract or agree to sell, hypothecate, pledge, grant any option to purchase or otherwise dispose of or agree to dispose of, directly or indirectly, any debt securities issued or guaranteed by the Company or any securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for debt securities issued or guaranteed by the Company or file or cause to be declared effective a registration statement under the Securities Act with respect to any of the foregoing for a period of 30 days after the date hereof without the prior written consent of the Representative, which may not be unreasonably withheld. The foregoing sentence shall not apply to the registration of the Shares and the sales to the Underwriters pursuant to this Agreement.

 

(m) To cooperate with the Representative and use its commercially reasonable efforts to permit the offered Securities to be eligible for clearance and settlement through the facilities of DTC.

 

(n) To use its reasonable best efforts to list, effect and maintain, subject to notice of issuance, the Shares on the Nasdaq Global Market.

 

(o) Until the Representative shall have notified the Company of the completion of the offering of the Shares, the Company will not take directly or indirectly any action designed, or that might reasonably be expected to cause or result in, or that will constitute, stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of any of the Shares.

 

(p) To use its reasonable best efforts to do and perform all things required to be done or performed under this Agreement by the Company prior to the Time of Purchase or the Additional Time of Purchase, as applicable and to satisfy all conditions precedent to the delivery of the Shares to be delivered at such time.

 

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5. Payment of Expenses.

 

The Company agrees to pay, or reimburse if paid by the Underwriters, whether or not the transactions contemplated hereby are consummated or this Agreement is terminated: (a) the costs incident to the authorization, issuance, sale and delivery of the Shares to the Underwriters and any taxes payable in that connection; (b) the costs incident to the registration of the Shares under the Securities Act; (c) the costs incident to the preparation, printing and distribution of the Registration Statement, the Base Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, the General Disclosure Package, the Prospectus, any amendments, supplements and exhibits thereto or any document incorporated by reference therein; (d) the reasonable and documented fees and expenses of counsel to the Underwriters incurred in connection with securing any required review by FINRA and any filings made with FINRA; (e) all costs and expenses incident to listing the Shares on the NASDAQ Global Market; (f) the fees and expenses of counsel for the Underwriters incurred in connection with qualifying the Shares under the securities laws of the several jurisdictions as provided in Section 4(e) and of preparing, printing and distributing wrappers and blue sky memoranda; (g) the fees and expenses of the Depositary and any transfer agent, registrar or depository with respect to the Shares; (h) the expenses and application fees incurred in connection with the approval of the Shares for book-entry transfer by DTC; (i) the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel to the Underwriters in an aggregate amount not to exceed $75,000 and (j) all other costs and expenses of the Company incident to the offering of the Shares by, or the performance of the obligations of, the Company under this Agreement (including, without limitation, the fees and expenses of the Company’s counsel and the Company’s independent accountants and the travel and other reasonable expenses incurred by Company personnel in connection with any “road show”).

 

6. Conditions to the Obligations of the Underwriters, and the Sale of the Shares. The obligations of the Underwriters hereunder, and the closing of the sale of the Shares, are subject to the accuracy, when made and as of the Applicable Time and at the Time of Purchase or the Additional Time of Purchase, as the case may be, of the representations and warranties of the Company contained herein (except for inaccuracies that would not result in a Material Adverse Effect), to the accuracy of the statements of the Company made in any certificates pursuant to the provisions hereof, to the performance by the Company, in all material respects, of its obligations hereunder, and to each of the following additional terms and conditions:

 

(a) No stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any part thereof, preventing or suspending the use of any Base Prospectus, the Prospectus or any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus or any part thereof shall have been issued and no proceedings for that purpose or pursuant to Section 8A under the Securities Act shall have been initiated by the Commission, and all requests for additional information on the part of the Commission (to be included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or otherwise) shall have been complied with; the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, if any, each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, if any, and the Prospectus shall have been filed with the Commission within the applicable time period prescribed for such filing by, and in compliance with, the Rules and Regulations and in accordance with Section 4(a), and the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, if any, shall have become effective immediately upon its filing with the Commission; and FINRA shall have raised no objection to the fairness and reasonableness of the terms of this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby.

 

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(b) The Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement thereto shall not contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, and none of the General Disclosure Package, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or the Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, shall contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances in which they were made, not misleading.

 

(c) The Company shall have furnished to the Representative a certificate, dated the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, of its Chief Executive Officer and its Chief Financial Officer stating that (i) since the effective date of the Registration Statement, no event has occurred which should have been set forth in a supplement or amendment to the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, (ii) to the best of their knowledge after reasonable investigation, as of such date, the representations and warranties of the Company in this Agreement are true and correct, except for inaccuracies that would not result in a Material Adverse Effect, and the Company has complied, in all material respects, with all agreements and satisfied all conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied hereunder at or prior to such date, and (iii) there has not been, subsequent to the date of the most recent audited financial statements included or incorporated by reference in the General Disclosure Package, any material adverse change in the financial position or results of operations of the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, or any change or development that, individually or in the aggregate, would reasonably be expected to involve a material adverse change in or affecting the condition (financial or otherwise), results of operations, business or assets of the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, except as set forth in the Prospectus.

 

(d) Since the date of the latest audited financial statements with respect to the Company and its Subsidiaries included in the General Disclosure Package or incorporated by reference in the General Disclosure Package as of the date hereof, (i) neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries shall have sustained any loss or interference with its business from fire, explosion, flood or other calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or from any labor dispute or court or governmental action, order or decree, otherwise than as set forth in the General Disclosure Package, and (ii) there shall not have been any change in the capital stock of the Company or any change in the long-term debt of the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, or any change or any development in or affecting the business, general affairs, management, financial position, stockholders’ equity or results of operations of the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, otherwise than as set forth in the General Disclosure Package, the effect of which, in any such case described in clause (i) or (ii) of this Section 6(e), would result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(e) No action shall have been taken and no law, statute, rule, regulation or order shall have been enacted, adopted or issued by any governmental agency or body which would prevent the issuance or sale of the Shares or result in a Material Adverse Effect; and no injunction, restraining order or order of any other nature by any United States federal or state court of competent jurisdiction shall have been issued which would prevent the issuance or sale of the Shares or result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

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(f) Subsequent to the execution and delivery of this Agreement there shall not have occurred any of the following: (i) trading in securities generally on the New York Stock Exchange or the NASDAQ Stock Market or in the over-the-counter market, or trading in any securities of the Company on any exchange or in the over-the-counter market, shall have been suspended or materially limited, or minimum or maximum prices or maximum range for prices shall have been established on any such exchange or such market by the Commission, by such exchange or market or by any other regulatory body or governmental authority having jurisdiction; (ii) a banking moratorium shall have been declared by United States federal or state authorities or a material disruption has occurred in commercial banking or securities settlement or clearance services in the United States; (iii) the United States shall have become engaged in hostilities, or the subject of an act of terrorism, or there shall have been an outbreak of or escalation in hostilities involving the United States, or there shall have been a declaration of a national emergency or war by the United States; (iv) if there has been, in the judgment of the Representative, since the time of execution of this Agreement or since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, any material adverse change in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business affairs or business prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries, considered as one enterprise, whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business, or (iv) there shall have occurred such a material adverse change in general economic, political or financial conditions (or the effect of international conditions on the financial markets in the United States shall be such) as to make it, in the reasonable judgment of the Underwriter, impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the sale or delivery of the Shares on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

 

(g) The Underwriters shall have received an opinion and negative assurance letter of The NBD Group, Inc., counsel for the Company, dated the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, covering such matters as the Underwriters shall reasonably request.

 

(h) The Underwriters shall have received the favorable opinion of Duane Morris LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, dated the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, and covering such matters as the Underwriters shall reasonably request.

 

(i) The Underwriters shall have received from Marcum LLP letters dated, respectively, the date hereof, the Closing Date and, if applicable, the Additional Closing Date, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representative containing statements and information of the type ordinarily included in accountants’ “comfort letters” to underwriters with respect to the financial statements and certain financial information contained in the General Disclosure Package, the Prospectus and the Registration Statement.

 

(j) The Company shall have furnished to the Representative such further certificates and documents as the Representative may reasonably require for the purpose of enabling the Underwriters to pass upon the issuance and sale of the Shares as herein contemplated.

 

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(k) The Company and the Depositary shall have executed and delivered the Deposit Agreement and the Depositary Receipts.

 

If any condition specified in this Section 6 is not satisfied when and as required to be satisfied, this Agreement may be terminated in the absolute discretion of either Representative by notice to the Company at any time on or prior to the Closing Date and, with respect to the Option Shares, at any time on or prior to the applicable Additional Closing Date, which termination shall be without liability on the part of any party to any other party (except to the extent provided in Section 8 hereof), except that Sections 5, 6, 8 and 9 shall at all times be effective and shall survive such termination.

 

7. Increase in Underwriters’ Commitments.

 

Subject to Section 6 hereof, if any Underwriter shall default in its obligation to take up and pay for the Firm Shares to be purchased by it hereunder (otherwise than for a failure of a condition set forth in Section 6 hereof) and if the aggregate principal amount of Firm Shares which all Underwriters so defaulting shall have agreed but failed to take up and pay for does not exceed 10% of the total aggregate principal amount of Firm Shares, the non-defaulting Underwriters shall take up and pay for (in addition to the aggregate principal amount of Firm Shares they are obligated to purchase pursuant to Section 1 hereof) the aggregate principal amount of Firm Shares agreed to be purchased by all such defaulting Underwriters, as hereinafter provided. Such Shares shall be taken up and paid for by such non-defaulting Underwriters in such amount or amounts as the Representative may designate with the consent of each Underwriter so designated or, in the event no such designation is made, such Shares shall be taken up and paid for by all non-defaulting Underwriters pro rata in proportion to the aggregate principal amount of Firm Shares set opposite the names of such non-defaulting Underwriters in Schedule A.

 

Without relieving any defaulting Underwriter from its obligations hereunder, the Company agrees with the non-defaulting Underwriters that it will not sell any Firm Shares hereunder unless all of the Firm Shares are purchased by the Underwriters (or by substituted Underwriters selected by the Representative with the approval of the Company or selected by the Company with the Representative’s approval).

 

If a new Underwriter or Underwriters are substituted by the Representative or by the Company for a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters in accordance with the foregoing provision, the Company or the Representative shall have the right to postpone the time of purchase for a period not exceeding five business days in order that any necessary changes in the General Disclosure Package and other documents that may be effected.

 

The term Underwriter as used in this Agreement shall refer to and include any Underwriter substituted under this Section 7 with like effect as if such substituted Underwriter had originally been named in Schedule A.

 

If the aggregate principal amount of Firm Shares which the defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed to purchase exceeds 10% of the total aggregate principal amount of Firm Shares which all Underwriters agreed to purchase hereunder, and if neither the non-defaulting Underwriters nor the Company shall make arrangements within the five business day-period stated above for the purchase of all the Firm Shares which the defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed to purchase hereunder, then this Agreement shall terminate without further act or deed and without any liability on the part of the Company to any non-defaulting Underwriter (except as provided in Section 8) and without any liability on the part of any non-defaulting Underwriter to the Company. Nothing in this paragraph, and no action taken hereunder, shall relieve any defaulting Underwriter from liability in respect of any default of such Underwriter under this Agreement.

 

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8. Indemnification and Contribution.

 

(a) The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, its respective affiliates and each of their respective directors, officers, members, employees, representatives and agents and their respective affiliates, and each person, if any, who controls such Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act (collectively the “Underwriter Indemnified Parties,” and each, an “Underwriter Indemnified Party”) against any loss, claim, damage, expense or liability whatsoever (or any action, investigation or proceeding in respect thereof), joint or several, to which such Underwriter Indemnified Party may become subject, under the Securities Act or otherwise, insofar as such loss, claim, damage, expense, liability, action, investigation or proceeding arises out of or is based upon (A) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, any “issuer information” filed or required to be filed pursuant to Rule 433(d) of the Rules and Regulations, any Registration Statement or the Prospectus, or in any amendment or supplement thereto or document incorporated by reference therein, (B) the omission or alleged omission to state in any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, any “issuer information” filed or required to be filed pursuant to Rule 433(d) of the Rules and Regulations, any Registration Statement or the Prospectus, or in any amendment or supplement thereto or document incorporated by reference therein, a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, or (C) any breach of the representations and warranties of the Company contained herein or failure of the Company to perform its obligations hereunder or pursuant to any law, and shall reimburse the Underwriter Indemnified Party promptly upon demand for any legal fees or other expenses reasonably incurred by such Underwriter Indemnified Party in connection with investigating, or preparing to defend, or defending against, or appearing as a third party witness in respect of, or otherwise incurred in connection with, any such loss, claim, damage, expense, liability, action, investigation or proceeding, as such fees and expenses are incurred; provided, however, that the Company shall not be liable in any such case to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage, expense or liability arises out of or is based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement in, or omission or alleged omission from, any Registration Statement or the Prospectus, or any such amendment or supplement thereto, or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus made in reliance upon and in conformity with written information concerning the Underwriters furnished to the Company by or on behalf of the Underwriters specifically for use therein, which information the parties hereto agree is limited to the Underwriter’s Information. This indemnity agreement is not exclusive and will be in addition to any liability, which the Company may otherwise have and shall not limit any rights or remedies which may otherwise be available at law or in equity to each Underwriter Indemnified Party.

 

(b) Each Underwriter severally and not jointly agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company and its directors, its officers who signed the Registration Statement and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act (collectively the “Company Indemnified Parties” and each a “Company Indemnified Party”) against any loss, claim, damage, expense or liability whatsoever (or any action, investigation or proceeding in respect thereof), joint or several, to which such Company Indemnified Party may become subject, under the Securities Act or otherwise, insofar as such loss, claim, damage, expense, liability, action, investigation or proceeding arises out of or is based upon (i) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, any “issuer information” filed or required to be filed pursuant to Rule 433(d) of the Rules and Regulations, any Registration Statement or the Prospectus, or in any amendment or supplement thereto, or (ii) the omission or alleged omission to state in any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, any “issuer information” filed or required to be filed pursuant to Rule 433(d) of the Rules and Regulations, any Registration Statement or the Prospectus, or in any amendment or supplement thereto, a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, but in each case only to the extent that the untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission was made in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by or on behalf of such Underwriter specifically for use therein, which information the parties hereto agree is limited to the Underwriter’s Information, and shall reimburse the Company Indemnified Parties for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such party in connection with investigating or preparing to defend or defending against or appearing as third party witness in connection with any such loss, claim, damage, liability, action, investigation or proceeding, as such fees and expenses are incurred. This indemnity agreement is not exclusive and will be in addition to any liability which such Underwriter might otherwise have and shall not limit any rights or remedies which may otherwise be available under this Agreement, at law or in equity to the Company Indemnified Parties.

 

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(c) Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under this Section 8 of notice of the commencement of any action, the indemnified party shall, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against an indemnifying party under this Section 8, notify such indemnifying party in writing of the commencement of that action; provided, however, that the failure to notify the indemnifying party shall not relieve it from any liability which it may have under this Section 8 except to the extent it has been materially prejudiced by such failure; and, provided, further, that the failure to notify an indemnifying party shall not relieve it from any liability which it may have to an indemnified party otherwise than under this Section 8. If any such action shall be brought against an indemnified party, and it shall notify the indemnifying party thereof, the indemnifying party shall be entitled to participate therein and, to the extent that it wishes, jointly with any other similarly notified indemnifying party, to assume the defense of such action with counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party (which counsel shall not, except with the written consent of the indemnified party, be counsel to the indemnifying party). After notice from the indemnifying party to the indemnified party of its election to assume the defense of such action and approval by the indemnified party of counsel as set forth herein, except as provided herein, the indemnifying party shall not be liable to the indemnified party under Section 8 for any legal or other expenses subsequently incurred by the indemnified party in connection with the defense of such action other than reasonable costs of investigation; provided, however, that any indemnified party shall have the right to employ separate counsel in any such action and to participate in the defense of such action but the fees and expenses of such counsel (other than reasonable costs of investigation which shall remain the expense of the Company) shall be at the expense of such indemnified party unless (i) in the case of an Underwriter Indemnified Party, the employment thereof has been specifically authorized in writing by the Company in the case of a claim for indemnification under Section 8(a), or (ii) such indemnified party shall have been advised by its counsel that there may be one or more legal defenses available to it which are different from or additional to those available to the indemnifying party, or (iii) the indemnifying party has failed to assume the defense of such action and employ counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party within a reasonable period of time after notice of the commencement of the action or the indemnifying party does not diligently defend the action after assumption of the defense, in which case, if such indemnified party notifies the indemnifying party in writing that it elects to employ separate counsel at the expense of the indemnifying party, the indemnifying party shall not have the right to assume the defense of (or, in the case of a failure to diligently defend the action after assumption of the defense, to continue to defend) such action on behalf of such indemnified party and the indemnifying party shall be responsible for legal or other expenses subsequently incurred by such indemnified party in connection with the defense of such action; provided, however, that the indemnifying party shall not, in connection with any one such action or separate but substantially similar or related actions in the same jurisdiction arising out of the same general allegations or circumstances, be liable for the reasonable fees and expenses of more than one separate firm of attorneys at any time for all such indemnified parties (in addition to any local counsel), which firm shall be designated in writing by the Underwriter if the indemnified parties under this Section 8 consist of any Underwriter Indemnified Party or by the Company if the indemnified parties under this Section 8 consist of any Company Indemnified Parties. Subject to this Section 8(d), the amount payable by an indemnifying party under Section 8 shall include, but not be limited to, (x) reasonable legal fees and expenses of counsel to the indemnified party and any other expenses in investigating, or preparing to defend or defending against, or appearing as a third party witness in respect of, or otherwise incurred in connection with, any action, investigation, proceeding or claim, and (y) all amounts paid in settlement of any of the foregoing. No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of the indemnified parties, settle or compromise or consent to the entry of judgment with respect to any pending or threatened action or any claim whatsoever, in respect of which indemnification or contribution could be sought under this Section 8 (whether or not the indemnified parties are actual or potential parties thereto), unless such settlement, compromise or consent (i) includes an unconditional release of each indemnified party in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to such indemnified party from all liability arising out of such action or claim and (ii) does not include a statement as to or an admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act by or on behalf of any indemnified party. Subject to the provisions of the following sentence, no indemnifying party shall be liable for settlement of any pending or threatened action or any claim whatsoever that is effected without its written consent (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed), but if settled with its written consent, or if its consent has been unreasonably withheld or delayed, or if there be a judgment for the plaintiff in any such matter, the indemnifying party agrees to indemnify and hold harmless any indemnified party from and against any loss or liability by reason of such settlement or judgment. In addition, if at any time an indemnified party shall have requested that an indemnifying party reimburse the indemnified party for reasonable fees and expenses of counsel, such indemnifying party agrees that it shall be liable for any settlement of the nature contemplated herein effected without its written consent if (i) such settlement is entered into more than forty-five (45) days after receipt by such indemnifying party of the request for reimbursement, (ii) such indemnifying party shall have received notice of the terms of such settlement at least thirty (30) days prior to such settlement being entered into and (iii) such indemnifying party shall not have reimbursed such indemnified party in accordance with such request prior to the date of such settlement.

 

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(d) If the indemnification provided for in this Section 8 is unavailable or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party under Section 8(a), Section 8(b) or Section 8(c), then each applicable indemnifying party shall, in lieu of indemnifying such indemnified party, contribute to the amount paid, payable or otherwise incurred by such indemnified party as a result of such loss, claim, damage, expense or liability (or any action, investigation or proceeding in respect thereof), as incurred, (i) in such proportion as shall be appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other hand from the Offering, or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) of this Section 8(f) is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) of this Section 8(f) but also the relative fault of the Company on the one hand and each of the respective Underwriters on the other with respect to the statements, omissions, acts or failures to act which resulted in such loss, claim, damage, expense or liability (or any action, investigation or proceeding in respect thereof) as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other hand with respect to such Offering shall be deemed to be in the same proportion as the total net proceeds from the Offering pursuant to this Agreement (before deducting expenses) received by the Company bear to the total compensation received by the Underwriter in connection with the Offering, in each case as set forth in the table on the cover page of the Prospectus. The relative fault of the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other hand shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company on the one hand or the Underwriters on the other hand, the intent of the parties and their relative knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such untrue statement, omission, act or failure to act.

 

The Company and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if contributions pursuant to this Section 8(f) were to be determined by pro rata allocation or by any other method of allocation that does not take into account the equitable considerations referred to herein. The amount paid or payable by an indemnified party as a result of the loss, claim, damage, expense, liability, action, investigation or proceeding referred to above in this Section 8(f) shall be deemed to include, for purposes of this Section 8(d), any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection with investigating, preparing to defend or defending against or appearing as a third party witness in respect of, or otherwise incurred in connection with, any such loss, claim, damage, expense, liability, action, investigation or proceeding. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 8(f), no Underwriter shall not be required to contribute any amount in excess of the total compensation received by such Underwriter hereunder less the amount of any damages which such Underwriter has otherwise paid or become liable to pay by reason of any untrue or alleged untrue statement, omission or alleged omission, act or alleged act or failure to act or alleged failure to act.

 

No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 10(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation.

 

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9. Absence of Fiduciary Relationship. The Company acknowledges and agrees that:

 

(a) the Underwriters’ responsibility to the Company is solely contractual in nature, the Underwriters have been retained solely to act as underwriters in connection with the Offering and no fiduciary, advisory or agency relationship between the Company and any Underwriter has been created in respect of any of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, irrespective of whether such Underwriter has advised or is advising the Company on other matters;

 

(b) the price of the Shares set forth in this Agreement was established by the Company following discussions and arms-length negotiations with the Underwriters, and the Company is capable of evaluating and understanding, and understands and accepts, the terms, risks and conditions of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement;

 

(c) no Underwriter has advised, and no Underwriter is advising, the Company or any other person as to any legal, tax, investment, accounting or regulatory matters in any jurisdiction with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby;

 

(d) the Company shall consult with its own advisors concerning such matters and shall be responsible for making its own independent investigation and appraisal of the transactions contemplated hereby, and no Underwriter shall have any responsibility or liability to the Company with respect thereto;

 

(e) no Underwriter has or will be rendering an opinion to the Company as to the fairness of the terms of the offering of the Shares;

 

(f) it has been advised that each Underwriter, and their respective affiliates, are engaged in a broad range of transactions which may involve interests that differ from those of the Company and no Underwriter has an obligation to disclose such interests and transactions to the Company by virtue of any fiduciary, advisory or agency relationship; and

 

(g) it waives, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any claims it may have against any Underwriter for breach of fiduciary duty or alleged breach of fiduciary duty and agrees that each Underwriter shall not have any liability (whether direct or indirect) to the Company in respect of such a fiduciary duty claim or to any person asserting a fiduciary duty claim on behalf of or in right of the Company, including stockholders, employees or creditors of the Company.

 

10. Successors; Persons Entitled to Benefit of Agreement. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the Underwriters, the Company, and their respective successors and assigns. Nothing expressed or mentioned in this Agreement is intended or shall be construed to give any person, other than the persons mentioned in the preceding sentence, any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or in respect of this Agreement, or any provisions herein contained, this Agreement and all conditions and provisions hereof being intended to be and being for the sole and exclusive benefit of such persons and for the benefit of no other person; except that the representations, warranties, covenants, agreements and indemnities of the Company contained in this Agreement shall also be for the benefit of the Underwriter Indemnified Parties, and the indemnity of the Underwriters shall be for benefit of the Company Indemnified Parties.

 

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11. Survival of Indemnities, Representations, Warranties, Etc. The respective indemnities, covenants, agreements, representations, warranties and other statements of the Company and the Underwriters, as set forth in this Agreement or made by them respectively, pursuant to this Agreement, shall remain in full force and effect, regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of the Underwriters, the Company or any person controlling any of them and shall survive delivery of and payment for the Shares. Notwithstanding any termination of this Agreement, the indemnity and contribution agreements contained in Section 8 and the covenants, representations, warranties set forth in this Agreement shall not terminate and shall remain in full force and effect at all times.

 

12. Notices. All statements, requests, notices and agreements hereunder shall be in writing, and:

 

(a) if to the Underwriters, shall be delivered or sent by mail, overnight courier or email to B. Riley FBR, Inc., 299 Park Avenue, 7th Floor, New York, New York 10171, Attention: Syndicate Department, with a copy to Duane Morris LLP Attn: James T. Seery, 1540 Broadway, New York, New York 10036.

 

(b) if to the Company, shall be delivered or sent by mail, overnight courier or email to B. Riley Financial, Inc., Attention: Chief Financial Officer, 21255 Burbank Blvd Suite 400, Woodland Hills, CA 91367, with a copy to The NBD Group, Inc., Attn: Sara Terheggen, 350 N. Glendale Avenue. Suite B522, Los Angeles, California 91206.

 

13. Definition of Certain Terms. For purposes of this Agreement “business day” means any day on which the NASDAQ Stock Market is open for trading.

 

14. Governing Law. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.

 

15. Underwriter’s Information. The parties hereto acknowledge and agree that, for all purposes of this Agreement, the Underwriter’s Information consists solely of the following information in the General Disclosure Package, the Prospectus and in the Registration Statement: the concession figure appearing in the first paragraph under the section entitled “Underwriting – Discounts and Expenses” and the information contained in the second and fourth paragraphs relating to stabilization transactions under the section entitled “Underwriting – Price Stabilization; Short Positions.”

 

16. Partial Unenforceability. The invalidity or unenforceability of any section, paragraph, clause or provision of this Agreement shall not affect the validity or enforceability of any other section, paragraph, clause or provision hereof. If any section, paragraph, clause or provision of this Agreement is for any reason determined to be invalid or unenforceable, there shall be deemed to be made such minor changes (and only such minor changes) as are necessary to make it valid and enforceable.

 

17. General. This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement of the parties to this Agreement and supersedes all prior written or oral and all contemporaneous oral agreements, understandings and negotiations with respect to the subject matter hereof. In this Agreement, the masculine, feminine and neuter genders and the singular and the plural include one another. The section headings in this Agreement are for the convenience of the parties only and will not affect the construction or interpretation of this Agreement. This Agreement may be amended or modified, and the observance of any term of this Agreement may be waived, only by a writing signed by the Company and the Representative.

 

18. Counterparts. This Agreement may be signed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be an original, with the same effect as if the signatures thereto and hereto were upon the same instrument and such signatures may be delivered by facsimile.

 

[Signature Page Follows]

 

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If the foregoing correctly sets forth the understanding between the Company and the several Underwriters, please so indicate in the space provided below for that purpose, whereupon this agreement and your acceptance shall constitute a binding agreement between the Company and the Underwriters, severally.

 

  Very truly yours,
   
  B. RILEY FINANCIAL, INC.
   
  By: /s/ Phillip J. Ahn
    Name: Phillip J. Ahn
    Title: Chief Financial Officer &
Chief Operating Officer

 

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B. RILEY FBR, INC.

 

For themselves and as Representative

of the several Underwriters named

in Schedule A hereto

 

Accepted and agreed to as of the date first above written:

 

B. RILEY FBR, INC.  
   
By: /s/ Patrice McNicoll  
  Name:  Patrice McNicoll  
  Title: Co-Head of Investment Banking  

 

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SCHEDULE A

 

Underwriters

 

Underwriters   Aggregate Principal Amount of Securities to be Purchased  
B. Riley FBR, Inc.   $ 11,000,000  
Incapital LLC     9,000,000  
Janney Montgomery Scott LLC     9,750,000  
Ladenburg Thalmann & Co. Inc.     7,500,000  
Wedbush Securities, Inc.     2,000,000  
William Blair & Company, L.L.C.     9,000,000  
Boenning & Scattergood, Inc.     1,750,000  
Total   $ 50,000,000  

 

 

 

 

SCHEDULE B

 

Pricing Information

 

Firm Shares: 2,000,000

 

Option Shares: 300,000

 

Dividend rate: 6.875%.

 

Public offering price: $25.00 per Share

 

Underwriters’ discount: 3.15%

 

 

 

 

SCHEDULE C

 

Free Writing Prospectuses

 

Final term sheet as prepared pursuant to Section 4(b) hereto and filed as an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus by the Company with the Commission on October 2, 2019.

 

 

 

 

SCHEDULE D

Issuer Free Writing Prospectus

Filed pursuant to Rule 433

Registration No. 333-233907

 

B. RILEY FINANCIAL, INC.

 

2,000,000 Depositary Shares

Each Representing a 1/1000th Interest in a Share of

6.875% Series A Cumulative Perpetual Preferred

(Liquidation Amount $25 per Depositary Share)

 

Final Term Sheet

 

Issuer: B. Riley Financial, Inc.
   
Securities: Depositary Shares (the “Shares”) each representing a 1/1000th fractional interest in a share of 6.875% Series A Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock (the “Series A Preferred Stock”)
   
Number of Shares: 2,000,000 Shares (representing 2,000 shares of Series A Preferred Stock)
   
Option to Purchase Additional Shares: Up to 300,000 Shares (representing 300 shares of Series A Preferred Stock)
   
Trade Date: October 2, 2019
   
Settlement Date: October 7, 2019
   
Listing: Expected NASDAQ “RILYP”
   
Size: $50,000,000
   
Overallotment Option: Up to $7,500,000
   
Maturity Date: Perpetual (unless redeemed by Issuer on or after October 7, 2024 or in connection with a change of control or delisting event).
   
Rating: The Series A Preferred Stock will not be rated.
   
Dividend Rate (Cumulative): We will pay cumulative cash dividends on the Series A Preferred Stock, when and as declared by our Board of Directors, at the rate of 6.875% of the $25,000.00 liquidation preference ($25.00 per depositary share) per year (equivalent to $1718.75 or $1.71875 per depositary share).
   
Dividend Payment Dates: Dividends will be payable quarterly in arrears, on or about the last day of January, April, July and October, beginning on or about October 31, 2019; provided that if any dividend payment date is not a business day, then the dividend which would otherwise have been payable on that dividend payment date may be paid on the next succeeding business day, and no interest, additional dividends or other sums will accumulate. Dividends will accumulate and be cumulative from, and including, the date of original issuance, which is expected to be October 7, 2019. The first dividend, which is scheduled to be paid on or about October 31, 2019 in the amount of $0.11458333 per depositary share, will be for less than a full quarter and will cover the period from, and including, the first date we issue and sell the depositary shares through, but not including, October 31, 2019.

 

 

 

 

Price to the Public: 100%
   
Day Count: 30/360
   
Liquidation Preference: The liquidation preference of each share of Series A Preferred Stock is $25,000.00 ($25.00 per depositary share). Upon liquidation, Series A Preferred Stock shareholders will be entitled to receive the liquidation preference with respect to their shares of Series A Preferred Stock plus an amount equal to accumulated but unpaid dividends with respect to such shares.
   
Optional Redemption: Series A Preferred Stock is not redeemable by the Issuer prior to the fifth anniversary of the issue date, except as described below in “Special Optional Redemption Upon a Change of Control or Delisting Event.” After fifth anniversary of the issue date, the Issuer may redeem the Series A Preferred Stock, in whole or from time to time in part, for cash at a redemption price equivalent to $25.00 per depositary share, plus accumulated and unpaid dividends to, but not including, the redemption date.
   
Special Optional Redemption Upon a Change of Control or Delisting Event: Special optional redemption by the Company upon a change of control or delisting event, in whole or in part, for $25.00 per depositary share, plus accrued but unpaid dividends, to, but not including, the redemption date (the “Redemption Right”). The circumstances that will constitute a “change of control” and a “delisting event” will be set forth in the documents governing the Series A Preferred Stock.
   
Special Conversion Right Upon a Change of Control or Delisting Event: Upon the occurrence of a change of control or delisting event, in the event the Company does not exercise the Redemption Right, holders of the Series A Preferred Stock will have the right to convert some or all of the Series A Preferred Stock held by such holder into a number of common shares at a predetermined ratio.
   
DRD/QDI Eligible: Yes
   
Minimum Denomination / Multiples: $25.00/$25.00
   
CUSIP/ISIN: 05580M 876 / US05580M8762
   
Book-Running Managers: B. Riley FBR, Inc., Incapital LLC, Janney Montgomery Scott LLC, Ladenburg Thalmann & Co. Inc.
   
Co-Managers: Wedbush Securities Inc., William Blair & Company, L.L.C., Boenning & Scattergood

 

 

 

 

Conflict of Interest: B. Riley FBR, Inc. our wholly-owned subsidiary, will participate in the offering of the depositary shares as a joint book-running manager.
   
  Therefore, B. Riley FBR, Inc. has a “conflict of interest” in this offering within the meaning of Rule 5121 of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”). Accordingly, this offering will be made in compliance with the applicable provisions of FINRA Rule 5121(a)(2), which requires that a “qualified independent underwriter” as defined in FINRA Rule 5121(f)(5), participate in the preparation of the registration statement and prospectus and exercise its usual standards for due diligence in respect thereto. Incapital LLC has agreed to act as the qualified independent underwriter for this offering and has agreed in so acting to undertake the legal responsibilities and liabilities of an underwriter under the Securities Act, specifically including those inherent in Section 11 thereof. Incapital LLC will not receive a fee for acting as the qualified independent underwriter for this offering.

 

This communication is intended for the sole use of the person to whom it is provided by the issuer.

 

The issuer has filed a registration statement (including a base prospectus dated September 30, 2019) and a preliminary prospectus supplement dated October 2, 2019 with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) for the offering to which this communication relates. Before you invest, you should read the prospectus in that registration statement and other documents the issuer has filed with the SEC for more complete information about the issuer and this offering.

 

You may get these documents for free by visiting EDGAR on the SEC Web site at www.sec.gov. Alternatively, the issuer, any underwriter or any dealer participating in the offering will arrange to send you the prospectus and related preliminary prospectus supplement if you request them from B. Riley FBR, Inc. by calling (703) 312-9580 or by emailing prospectuses@brileyfbr.com.

 

ANY DISCLAIMERS OR OTHER NOTICES THAT MAY APPEAR BELOW ARE NOT APPLICABLE TO THIS COMMUNICATION AND SHOULD BE DISREGARDED. SUCH DISCLAIMERS OR OTHER NOTICES WERE AUTOMATICALLY GENERATED AS A RESULT OF THIS COMMUNICATION BEING SENT VIA BLOOMBERG OR ANOTHER E-MAIL SYSTEM.

 

 

 

 

Exhibit 3.1

 

CERTIFICATE OF DESIGNATION

 

OF

 

6.875% SERIES A CUMULATIVE PERPETUAL PREFERRED STOCK

 

OF

 

B. RILEY FINANCIAL, INC.

 

Pursuant to Section 151 of the

General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware

 

B. Riley Financial, Inc., a corporation organized and existing under and by virtue of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the “Delaware General Corporation Law”) (the “Corporation”),

 

DOES HEREBY CERTIFY:

 

FIRST: That the name of the Corporation is B. Riley Financial, Inc. The Corporation was originally incorporated under the name Great American Group, Inc.

 

SECOND: That the Corporation’s Amended and Restated certificate of incorporation, as amended (the “Charter”), of the Corporation authorizes the issuance of 1,000,000 shares of Preferred Stock, par value $0.0001 per share (“Preferred Stock”) and expressly vests in the Board of Directors of the Corporation the authority provided therein to issue any or all of said shares in one or more series and by resolution or resolutions, the designation, number, full or limited voting powers, or the denial of voting powers, preferences and relative, participating, optional, and other special rights and the qualifications, limitations, restrictions, and other distinguishing characteristics of each series to be issued.

 

THIRD: Pursuant to the authority expressly vested in the Board of Directors of the Corporation (the “Board”) by the Charter and Delaware General Corporation Law, the Board of Directors, by resolutions duly adopted on October 1, 2019, and the Pricing Committee of the Board, by resolutions duly adopted October 2, 2019, classified and designated 10,000 shares of Preferred Stock as a separate series of Preferred Stock to be known as the “6.875% Series A Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock,” with the preferences, conversion and other rights, voting powers, restrictions, limitations as to dividends and other distributions, qualifications, and terms and conditions of redemption set forth on Exhibit A hereto.

 

 

 

 

IN WHITNESS WHEREOF, this Certificate of Designation is executed on behalf of the Corporation by its Corporate Secretary this 4th day of October, 2019.

 

  By: /s/ Alan Forman
    Name: Alan Forman
    Title: Executive Vice President, General
    Counsel and Corporate Secretary

 

 

 

 

EXHIBIT A

TO

CERTIFICATE OF DESIGNATION

OF

6.875% SERIES A CUMULATIVE PERPETUAL PREFERRED STOCK

OF

B. RILEY FINANCIAL, INC.

 

Section 1. Designation and Number. The designation of the series of preferred stock shall be 6.875% Series A Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock (hereinafter referred to as the “Series A Preferred Stock”). Each share of Series A Preferred Stock shall be identical in all respects to every other share of Series A Preferred Stock. The number of authorized shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall be 10,000. Such number may from time to time be increased (but not in excess of the total number of authorized shares of preferred stock) or decreased (but not below the number of shares of Series A Preferred Stock then outstanding) by further resolution duly adopted by the Board of Directors of the Corporation, the Committee or any duly authorized committee of the Board of Directors of the Corporation and by the filing of a certificate pursuant to the provisions of the Delaware General Corporation Law stating that such increase or reduction, as the case may be, has been so authorized. The Corporation shall have the authority to issue fractional shares of Series A Preferred Stock.

 

Section 2. Rank. The Series A Preferred Stock will, as to dividend rights and rights upon our liquidation, dissolution or winding-up, rank (1) senior to all classes or series of our common stock and to all other equity securities issued by us other than any equity securities issued by us with terms specifically providing that those equity securities rank on a parity with the Series A Preferred Stock; (2) junior to all equity securities issued by us with terms specifically providing that those equity securities rank senior to the Series A Preferred Stock with respect to the payment of dividends and the distribution of assets upon our liquidation, dissolution or winding up; and (3) effectively junior to all our existing and future indebtedness (including indebtedness convertible into our common stock or preferred stock) and to the indebtedness and other liabilities of (as well as any preferred equity interests held by others in) our existing or future subsidiaries.

 

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Section 3. Dividends.

 

(a) Subject to the preferential rights of the holders of any class or series of capital stock of the Corporation ranking senior to the Series A Preferred Stock as to dividend rights, the holders of shares of the Series A Preferred Stock shall be entitled to receive, when, as and if authorized by the Board of Directors and declared by the Corporation, out of funds legally available for the payment of dividends, cumulative cash dividends at the rate of 6.875% per annum of the $25,000 liquidation preference per share of the Series A Preferred Stock. Such dividends shall accrue and be cumulative from and including the first date on which any shares of Series A Preferred Stock are issued (the “Original Issue Date”), or, if later, the most recent Dividend Payment Date (as defined below) to which dividends have been paid in full (or declared and the corresponding Dividend Record Date (as defined below) for determining stockholders entitled to payment thereof has passed), and shall be payable quarterly in arrears on each Dividend Payment Date, commencing on or about October 31, 2019; provided, however, that if any Dividend Payment Date is not a Business Day (as defined below), then the dividend which would otherwise have been payable on such Dividend Payment Date may be paid, at the Corporation’s option, on either the immediately preceding Business Day or the next succeeding Business Day, except that, if such Business Day is in the next succeeding calendar year, such payment shall be made on the immediately preceding Business Day, in each case with the same force and effect as if paid on such Dividend Payment Date, and no interest or additional dividends or other sums shall accrue on the amount so payable from such Dividend Payment Date to such next succeeding Business Day; provided, further, that no dividends shall accrue on any share of Series A Preferred Stock for any Dividend Period (as defined below) having a Dividend Record Date (as defined below) before the date such share of Series A Preferred Stock was issued. The amount of any dividend payable on the Series A Preferred Stock for any period greater or less than a full Dividend Period shall be prorated and computed on the basis of a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months. Dividends will be payable to holders of record as they appear in the stockholder records of the Corporation (or the depositary in the case of depositary shares representing underlying Series A Preferred Stock) at the close of business on the applicable Dividend Record Date. Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary contained herein, each holder of an outstanding share of Series A Preferred Stock shall be entitled to receive a dividend with respect to any Dividend Record Date equal to the dividend paid with respect to each other share of Series A Preferred Stock that is outstanding on such date. “Dividend Record Date” shall mean the date designated by the Board of Directors for the payment of dividends that is not more than 30 or fewer than 10 days prior to the applicable Dividend Payment Date. “Dividend Payment Date” shall mean the last calendar day of each January, April, July and October commencing on October 31, 2019. “Dividend Period” shall mean the respective periods commencing on the last day of January, April, July and October of each year and ending on and including the day preceding the first day of the next succeeding Dividend Period (other than the initial Dividend Period, which shall commence on the Original Issue Date and end on but exclude October 31, 2019, and other than the Dividend Period during which any shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall be redeemed pursuant to Section 5 or Section 6 hereof, which shall end on and include the day preceding the redemption date with respect to the shares of Series A Preferred Stock being redeemed).

 

The term “Business Day” shall mean any day, other than a Saturday or Sunday, that is neither a legal holiday nor a day on which banking institutions in New York City are authorized or required by law, regulation or executive order to close.

 

(b) Notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary, dividends on the Series A Preferred Stock shall accrue whether or not the Corporation has earnings, whether or not there are funds legally available for the payment of such dividends, and whether or not such dividends are authorized or declared.

 

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(c) Except as provided in Section 3(d) or 3(f) below, no dividends shall be declared and paid or declared and set apart for payment, and no other distribution of cash or other property may be declared and made, directly or indirectly, on or with respect to any shares of Common Stock or shares of any other class or series of capital stock of the Corporation ranking, as to dividends, on parity with or junior to the Series A Preferred Stock for any period, nor shall any shares of Common Stock or any other shares of any other class or series of capital stock of the Corporation ranking, as to payment of dividends and the distribution of assets upon the Corporation’s liquidation, dissolution or winding up, on parity with or junior to the Series A Preferred Stock be redeemed, purchased or otherwise acquired for any consideration, nor shall any funds be paid or made available for a sinking fund for the redemption of such shares, and no other distribution of cash or other property may be made, directly or indirectly, on or with respect thereto by the Corporation, unless full cumulative dividends on the Series A Preferred Stock for all past Dividend Periods shall have been or contemporaneously are (i) declared and paid or (ii) declared and a sum sufficient for the payment thereof is set apart for such payment.

 

(d) Except as provided in Section 3(f) below, when dividends are not paid in full (or declared and a sum sufficient for such full payment is not so set apart) on the Series A Preferred Stock and the shares of any other class or series of capital stock ranking, as to dividends, on parity with the Series A Preferred Stock, all dividends declared upon the Series A Preferred Stock and each such other class or series of capital stock ranking, as to dividends, on parity with the Series A Preferred Stock (which, for the avoidance of doubt, shall not include the redemption or repurchase of shares of any such class or series) shall be declared pro rata so that the amount of dividends declared per share of Series A Preferred Stock and such other class or series of capital stock shall in all cases bear to each other the same ratio that accrued dividends per share on the Series A Preferred Stock and such other class or series of capital stock (which shall not include any accrual in respect of unpaid dividends on such other class or series of capital stock for prior Dividend Periods if such other class or series of capital stock does not have a cumulative dividend) bear to each other. No interest, or sum of money in lieu of interest, shall be payable in respect of any dividend payment or payments on the Series A Preferred Stock which may be in arrears.

 

(e) Holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall not be entitled to any dividend, whether payable in cash, property or shares of capital stock, in excess of full cumulative dividends on the Series A Preferred Stock as provided herein. Any dividend payment made on the Series A Preferred Stock shall first be credited against the earliest accrued but unpaid dividends due with respect to such shares which remain payable. Accrued but unpaid dividends on the Series A Preferred Stock will accrue as of the Dividend Payment Date on which they first become payable.

 

(f) Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 3 or Sections 5 or 6 and regardless of whether dividends are paid in full (or declared and a sum sufficient for such full payment is not so set apart) on the Series A Preferred Stock or the shares of any other class or series of capital stock ranking, as to dividends, on parity with the Series A Preferred Stock for any or all Dividend Periods, the Corporation shall not be prohibited or limited from (i) paying dividends on any shares of stock of the Corporation in shares of Common Stock or in shares of any other class or series of capital stock ranking junior to the Series A Preferred Stock as to payment of dividends and the distribution of assets upon the Corporation’s liquidation, dissolution and winding up, (ii) converting or exchanging any shares of stock of the Corporation for shares of any other class or series of capital stock of the Corporation ranking junior to the Series A Preferred Stock as to payment of dividends and the distribution of assets upon the Corporation’s liquidation, dissolution and winding up, or (iii) purchasing or acquiring shares of Series A Preferred Stock pursuant to a purchase or exchange offer made on the same terms to holders of all outstanding shares of Series A Preferred Stock.

 

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Section 4. Liquidation Preference.

 

(a) Upon any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation, before any distribution or payment shall be made to holders of shares of Common Stock or any other class or series of capital stock of the Corporation ranking, as to rights upon any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation, junior to the Series A Preferred Stock, the holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall be entitled to be paid out of the assets of the Corporation legally available for distribution to its stockholders, after payment of or provision for the debts and other liabilities of the Corporation and any class or series of capital stock of the Corporation ranking, as to rights upon any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation, senior to the Series A Preferred Stock, a liquidation preference of $25,000 per share, plus an amount equal to any accrued and unpaid dividends (whether or not authorized or declared) up to but excluding the date of payment. In the event that, upon such voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up, the available assets of the Corporation are insufficient to pay the full amount of the liquidating distributions on all outstanding shares of Series A Preferred Stock and the corresponding amounts payable on all shares of other classes or series of capital stock of the Corporation ranking, as to rights upon the Corporation’s liquidation, dissolution or winding up, on parity with the Series A Preferred Stock in the distribution of assets, then the holders of the Series A Preferred Stock and each such other class or series of capital stock ranking, as to rights upon any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up, on parity with the Series A Preferred Stock shall share ratably in any such distribution of assets in proportion to the full liquidating distributions to which they would otherwise be respectively entitled. Written notice of any such voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation, stating the payment date or dates when, and the place or places where, the amounts distributable in such circumstances shall be payable, shall be given not fewer than 30 or more than 60 days prior to the payment date stated therein, to each record holder of shares of Series A Preferred Stock at the respective addresses of such holders as the same shall appear on the stock transfer records of the Corporation. After payment of the full amount of the liquidating distributions to which they are entitled, the holders of Series A Preferred Stock will have no right or claim to any of the remaining assets of the Corporation. The consolidation, merger or conversion of the Corporation with or into any other corporation, trust or entity, or the voluntary sale, lease, transfer or conveyance of all or substantially all of the property or business of the Corporation, shall not be deemed to constitute a liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation.

 

(b) In determining whether a distribution (other than upon voluntary or involuntary liquidation), by dividend, redemption or other acquisition of shares of capital stock of the Corporation or otherwise, is permitted under the Delaware General Corporation Law, amounts that would be needed, if the Corporation were to be dissolved at the time of the distribution, to satisfy the preferential rights upon dissolution of holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall not be added to the Corporation’s total liabilities.

 

4

 

 

Section 5. Redemption.

 

(a) Shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall not be redeemable prior to October 7, 2024 except as set forth in Section 6 hereof.

 

(b) On or after October 7, 2024, the Corporation, at its option, upon notice in accordance with Section 5(d), may redeem the Series A Preferred Stock, in whole or in part, at any time or from time to time, for cash at a redemption price of $25,000 per share, plus, subject to Section 5(e), all accrued and unpaid dividends (whether or not authorized or declared) thereon up to but not including the date fixed for redemption, without interest, to the extent the Corporation has funds legally available therefor (the “Redemption Right”). If fewer than all of the outstanding shares of Series A Preferred Stock are to be redeemed pursuant to this Section 5(b), the shares of Series A Preferred Stock to be redeemed shall be redeemed pro rata (as nearly as may be practicable without creating fractional shares) or by lot as determined by the Corporation. Holders of Series A Preferred Stock to be redeemed shall surrender such Series A Preferred Stock at the place, or in accordance with the book-entry procedures, designated in such notice and shall be entitled to the redemption price of $25,000 per share and any accrued and unpaid dividends payable upon such redemption following such surrender. If (i) notice of redemption of any shares of Series A Preferred Stock has been given (in the case of a redemption of the Series A Preferred Stock), (ii) the funds necessary for such redemption have been set aside by the Corporation for the benefit of the holders of any shares of Series A Preferred Stock so called for redemption, and (iii) irrevocable instructions have been given to pay the redemption price and all accrued and unpaid dividends, then from and after the redemption date, dividends shall cease to accrue on such shares of Series A Preferred Stock, such shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall no longer be deemed outstanding, and all rights of the holders of such shares shall terminate, except the right to receive the redemption price plus any accrued and unpaid dividends payable upon such redemption, without interest. So long as full cumulative dividends on the Series A Preferred Stock and any class or series of parity Preferred Stock for all past Dividend Periods shall have been or contemporaneously are (i) declared and paid, or (ii) declared and a sum sufficient for the payment thereof is set apart for payment, nothing herein shall prevent or restrict the Corporation’s right or ability to purchase, from time to time, either at a public or a private sale, all or any part of the Series A Preferred Stock at such price or prices as the Corporation may determine, subject to the provisions of applicable law, including the repurchase of shares of Series A Preferred Stock in open-market transactions duly authorized by the Board of Directors.

 

(c) Except as provided in Section 3(f) above, unless full cumulative dividends on the Series A Preferred Stock for all past Dividend Periods shall have been or contemporaneously are (i) declared and paid in cash, or (ii) declared and a sum sufficient for the payment thereof in cash is set apart for payment, no shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall be redeemed pursuant to the Redemption Right or Special Optional Redemption Right (defined below) unless all outstanding shares of Series A Preferred Stock are simultaneously redeemed, and the Corporation shall not purchase or otherwise acquire directly or indirectly any shares of Series A Preferred Stock or any class or series of capital stock of the Corporation ranking, as to payment of dividends and the distribution of assets upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation, on parity with or junior to the Series A Preferred Stock (except by conversion into or exchange for shares of capital stock of the Corporation ranking, as to payment of dividends and the distribution of assets upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation, junior to the Series A Preferred Stock); provided, however, that the foregoing shall not prevent the purchase of Series A Preferred Stock, or any other class or series of capital stock of the Corporation ranking, as to payment of dividends and the distribution of assets upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation, on parity with or junior to the Series A Preferred Stock, by the Corporation pursuant to the provisions of Article IV of the Charter or Sections 5 and 9 of this Certificate of Designation or any comparable provision of the Charter relating to any class or series of capital stock hereinafter classified and designated, or the purchase or acquisition of Series A Preferred Stock pursuant to a purchase or exchange offer made on the same terms to holders of all outstanding shares of Series A Preferred Stock.

 

5

 

 

(d) Notice of redemption pursuant to the Redemption Right will be mailed by the Corporation, postage prepaid, not fewer than 30 or more than 60 days prior to the redemption date, addressed to the respective holders of record of the Series A Preferred Stock to be redeemed at their respective addresses as they appear on the stock transfer records of the Corporation. No failure to give or defect in such notice shall affect the validity of the proceedings for the redemption of any Series A Preferred Stock except as to the holder to whom such notice was defective or not given. In addition to any information required by law or by the applicable rules of any exchange upon which the Series A Preferred Stock may be listed or admitted to trading, each such notice shall state: (i) the redemption date; (ii) the redemption price; (iii) the number of shares of Series A Preferred Stock to be redeemed; (iv) the place or places where the certificates (or depositary receipts), if any, representing shares of Series A Preferred Stock are to be surrendered for payment of the redemption price; (v) procedures for surrendering noncertificated shares of Series A Preferred Stock for payment of the redemption price; (vi) that dividends on the shares of Series A Preferred Stock to be redeemed will cease to accrue on such redemption date; and (vii) that payment of the redemption price and any accumulated and unpaid dividends will be made upon presentation and surrender of such Series A Preferred Stock. If fewer than all of the shares of Series A Preferred Stock held by any holder are to be redeemed, the notice mailed to such holder shall also specify the number of shares of Series A Preferred Stock held by such holder to be redeemed.

 

(e) If a redemption date falls after a Dividend Record Date and on or prior to the corresponding Dividend Payment Date, each holder of Series A Preferred Stock at the close of business of such Dividend Record Date shall be entitled to the dividend payable on such shares on the corresponding Dividend Payment Date notwithstanding the redemption of such shares on or prior to such Dividend Payment Date, and each holder of Series A Preferred Stock that surrenders its shares on such redemption date will be entitled to the dividends accruing after the end of the Dividend Period to which such Dividend Payment Date relates up to but excluding the redemption date. Except as provided herein, the Corporation shall make no payment or allowance for unpaid dividends, whether or not in arrears, on Series A Preferred Stock for which a notice of redemption has been given.

 

(f) All shares of the Series A Preferred Stock redeemed or repurchased pursuant to this Section 5, or otherwise acquired in any other manner by the Corporation, shall be restored to the status of authorized but unissued shares of Preferred Stock, without designation as to series or class.

 

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Section 6. Special Optional Redemption by the Corporation.

 

(a) Upon the occurrence of a Delisting Event or Change of Control (each as defined below), the Corporation will have the option upon written notice mailed by the Corporation, postage pre-paid, no fewer than 30 nor more than 60 days prior to the redemption date and addressed to the holders of record of shares of the Series A Preferred Stock to be redeemed at their respective addresses as they appear on the stock transfer records of the Corporation, to redeem the Series A Preferred Stock, in whole or in part, within 90 days after the first date on which such Delisting Event occurred or within 120 days after the first date on which the Change of Control occurred, as applicable, for cash at $25,000 per share plus, subject to Section 6(d), accrued and unpaid dividends, if any, to, but not including, the redemption date (“Special Optional Redemption Right”). No failure to give such notice or any defect thereto or in the mailing thereof shall affect the validity of the proceedings for the redemption of any shares of Series A Preferred Stock except as to the holder to whom notice was defective or not given. If, on or prior to the Delisting Event Conversion Date or Change of Control Conversion Date (each as defined below), as applicable, the Corporation has provided or provides notice of redemption with respect to the Series A Preferred Stock (whether pursuant to the Redemption Right or the Special Optional Redemption Right), the holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock will not have the conversion right described below in Section 8.

 

A “Change of Control” is when, after the original issuance of the Series A Preferred Stock, each of the following have occurred and are continuing:

 

(i) the acquisition by any person, including any syndicate or group deemed to be a “person” under Section 13(d)(3) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), of beneficial ownership, directly or indirectly, through a purchase, merger or other acquisition transaction or series of purchases, mergers or other acquisition transactions of stock of the Corporation entitling that person to exercise more than 50% of the total voting power of all stock of the Corporation entitled to vote generally in the election of the Corporation’s directors (except that such person will be deemed to have beneficial ownership of all securities that such person has the right to acquire, whether such right is currently exercisable or is exercisable only upon the occurrence of a subsequent condition); and

 

(ii) following the closing of any transaction referred to in (i) above, neither the Corporation nor the acquiring or surviving entity (or, if in connection with such transaction holders of Common Stock receive Alternative Form Consideration consisting of common equity securities of another entity, such other entity) has a class of common securities (or American depositary receipts representing such securities) listed on the New York Stock Exchange (the “NYSE”), the NYSE American, LLC (the “NYSE AMER”), or the NASDAQ Stock Market (“NASDAQ”), or listed or quoted on an exchange or quotation system that is a successor to the NYSE, the NYSE AMER or NASDAQ.

 

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A “Delisting Event” occurs when, after the original issuance of Series A Preferred Stock, both (i) the shares of Series A Preferred Stock (or the depositary shares) are no longer listed on the NYSE, the NYSE AMER or the NASDAQ, or listed or quoted on an exchange or quotation system that is a successor to the NYSE, the NYSE AMER or NASDAQ, and (ii) we are not subject to the reporting requirements of the Exchange Act, but any Series A Preferred Stock is still outstanding.

 

(b) In addition to any information required by law or by the applicable rules of any exchange upon which the Series A Preferred Stock may be listed or admitted to trading, such notice shall state: (i) the redemption date; (ii) the redemption price; (iii) the number of shares of Series A Preferred Stock to be redeemed; (iv) the place or places where the certificates, if any, representing shares of Series A Preferred Stock are to be surrendered for payment of the redemption price; (v) procedures for surrendering noncertificated shares of Series A Preferred Stock for payment of the redemption price; (vi) that dividends on the shares of Series A Preferred Stock to be redeemed will cease to accrue on the redemption date; (vii) that payment of the redemption price and any accumulated and unpaid dividends will be made upon presentation and surrender of such Series A Preferred Stock; (viii) that the shares of Series A Preferred Stock are being redeemed pursuant to the Special Optional Redemption Right in connection with the occurrence of a Delisting Event or Change of Control, as applicable, and a brief description of the transaction or transactions constituting such Delisting Event or Change of Control, as applicable; and (ix) that holders of the shares of Series A Preferred Stock to which the notice relates will not be able to tender such shares of Series A Preferred Stock for conversion in connection with the Delisting Event or Change of Control, as applicable, and each share of Series A Preferred Stock tendered for conversion that is selected, prior to the Delisting Event Conversion Date or Change of Control Conversion Date, as applicable, for redemption will be redeemed on the related redemption date instead of converted on the Delisting Event Conversion Date or Change of Control Conversion Date, as applicable. If fewer than all of the shares of Series A Preferred Stock held by any holder are to be redeemed, the notice mailed to such holder shall also specify the number of shares of Series A Preferred Stock held by such holder to be redeemed. Holders of Series A Preferred Stock to be redeemed shall surrender such Series A Preferred Stock at the place, or in accordance with the book-entry procedures, designated in such notice and shall be entitled to the redemption price of $25,000 per share and any accrued and unpaid dividends payable upon such redemption following such surrender.

 

If fewer than all of the outstanding shares of Series A Preferred Stock are to be redeemed pursuant to the Special Optional Redemption Right, the shares of Series A Preferred Stock to be redeemed shall be redeemed pro rata (as nearly as may be practicable without creating fractional shares) or by lot as determined by the Corporation.

 

(c) If (i) the Corporation has given a notice of redemption pursuant to the Special Optional Redemption Right, (ii) the funds necessary for such redemption have been set aside by the Corporation in trust for the benefit of the holders of the shares of Series A Preferred Stock so called for redemption, and (iii) irrevocable instructions have been given to pay the redemption price and all accrued and unpaid dividends, then from and after the redemption date, dividends shall cease to accrue on such shares of Series A Preferred Stock, such shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall no longer be deemed outstanding, and all rights of the holders of such shares shall terminate, except the right to receive the redemption price plus any accrued and unpaid dividends payable upon such redemption, without interest. So long as full cumulative dividends on the Series A Preferred Stock for all past Dividend Periods shall have been or contemporaneously are (i) declared and paid, or (ii) declared and a sum sufficient for the payment thereof is set apart for payment, nothing herein shall prevent or restrict the Corporation’s right or ability to purchase, from time to time, either at a public or a private sale, all or any part of the Series A Preferred Stock at such price or prices as the Corporation may determine, subject to the provisions of applicable law, including the repurchase of shares of Series A Preferred Stock in open-market transactions duly authorized by the Board of Directors.

 

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(d) If a redemption date falls after a Dividend Record Date and on or prior to the corresponding Dividend Payment Date, each holder of Series A Preferred Stock at the close of business of such Dividend Record Date shall be entitled to the dividend payable on such shares on the corresponding Dividend Payment Date notwithstanding the redemption of such shares on or prior to such Dividend Payment Date, and each holder of Series A Preferred Stock that surrenders its shares on such redemption date will be entitled to the dividends accruing after the end of the Dividend Period to which such Dividend Payment Date relates up to but excluding the redemption date. Except as provided herein, the Corporation shall make no payment or allowance for unpaid dividends, whether or not in arrears, on Series A Preferred Stock for which a notice of redemption has been given.

 

(e) All shares of the Series A Preferred Stock redeemed or repurchased pursuant to this Section 6, or otherwise acquired in any other manner by the Corporation, shall be retired and shall be restored to the status of authorized but unissued shares of Preferred Stock, without designation as to series or class.

 

 

Section 7. Voting Rights.

 

(a) Holders of the Series A Preferred Stock shall not have any voting rights, except as set forth in this Section 7.

 

(b) Whenever dividends on any shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall be in arrears for six or more consecutive or non-consecutive quarterly periods (a “Preferred Dividend Default”), the holders of Series A Preferred Stock and the holders of all other classes or series of preferred stock of the Corporation ranking on parity with the Series A Preferred Stock with respect to payment of dividends and the distribution of assets upon the Corporation’s liquidation, dissolution or winding up and upon which like voting rights have been conferred, and are exercisable (“Parity Preferred”) and with which the holders of Series A Preferred Stock are entitled to vote together as a single class voting together as a single class, shall be entitled to vote for the election of a total of two additional directors to serve on the Board of Directors of the Corporation (the “Preferred Directors”) until all dividends accumulated and unpaid on such Series A Preferred for all past Dividend Periods shall have been fully paid. At such time as the holders of Series A Preferred Stock become entitled to vote in the election of Preferred Directors, the number of directors serving on the Board of Directors will be increased automatically by two directors (unless the number of directors has previously been so increased pursuant to the terms of any class or series of Parity Preferred). For the purposes of determining whether a Preferred Dividend Default has occurred or is continuing, a dividend in respect of Series A Preferred Stock shall be considered timely made if made within two Business Days after the applicable Dividend Payment Date if at the time of such late payment date there shall not be any prior quarterly Dividend Periods in respect of which full dividends were not timely made at the applicable Dividend Payment Date.

 

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(c) A Preferred Director will be elected by a plurality of the votes cast in the election of Preferred Directors and shall serve until the next annual meeting of stockholders and until his or her successor is duly elected and qualifies, subject to Section 7(e) or such Preferred Director’s earlier death, disqualification, resignation or removal. The election of Preferred Directors will take place at (i) either (A) a special meeting called in accordance with Section 7(d) below if the request is received more than 90 days before the date fixed for the Corporation’s next annual or special meeting of stockholders or (B) the next annual or special meeting of stockholders if the request is received within 90 days of the date fixed for the Corporation’s next annual or special meeting of stockholders, and (ii) at each subsequent annual meeting of stockholders, or special meeting at which Preferred Directors are to be elected, until the right of holders of Series A Preferred Stock to elect Preferred Directors shall have terminated as specified in Section 7(e).

 

(d) At any time when holders of Series A Preferred Stock are entitled to vote in the election of Preferred Directors, the Secretary of the Corporation shall, unless the request is received more than 90 days before the date fixed for the Corporation’s next annual or special meeting of stockholders, call or cause to be called, upon written request of holders of record of at least 10% of the outstanding shares of Series A Preferred Stock and Parity Preferred with which the holders of Series A Preferred Stock are entitled to vote together as a single class in the election of Preferred Directors, call a special meeting of stockholders for the purpose of electing Preferred Directors by mailing or causing to be mailed to the stockholders entitled to vote a notice of such special meeting to be held not fewer than ten or more than 45 days after the date such notice is given. The record date for determining holders of the Series A Preferred Stock entitled to notice of and to vote at such special meeting will be the close of business on the third Business Day preceding the day on which such notice is mailed. The holder or holders of one-third of the outstanding shares of Series A Preferred Stock and Parity Preferred with which the holders of Series A Preferred Stock are entitled to vote together as a single class in the election of Preferred Directors, present in person or by proxy, will constitute a quorum for the election of the Preferred Directors except as otherwise required by law. Notice of all meetings of stockholders at which holders of Series A Preferred Stock are entitled to vote in the election of Preferred Directors will be given to such holders at their addresses as they appear in the Corporation’s stock transfer records. At any such meeting or adjournment thereof, in the absence of a quorum, subject to the provisions of any applicable law, the affirmative vote of a majority of the holders of the Series A Preferred Stock and Parity Preferred with which the holders of Series A Preferred Stock are entitled to vote together as a single class in the election of Preferred Directors present in person or by proxy, voting together as a single class, shall be sufficient to adjourn the meeting for the election of the Preferred Directors, without notice other than an announcement at the meeting, until a quorum is present. If a Preferred Dividend Default shall terminate after the notice of a special meeting for the purpose of electing Preferred Directors has been given but before such special meeting has been held, the Corporation shall, as soon as practicable after such termination, mail or cause to be mailed notice of such termination to holders of the Series A Preferred Stock that would have been entitled to vote at such special meeting.

 

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(e) If and when all accumulated dividends on such Series A Preferred Stock for all past Dividend Periods shall have been fully paid, the right of the holders of Series A Preferred Stock to elect such additional two directors shall immediately cease (subject to revesting in the event of each and every Preferred Dividend Default), and, unless there are outstanding shares of Parity Preferred upon which like voting remain exercisable, the term of office of each Preferred Director so elected shall terminate and the number of directors constituting the Board of Directors shall be reduced accordingly. If the rights of holders of Series A Preferred Stock to elect Preferred Directors have terminated in accordance with this Section 7(e) after any record date for the determination of stockholders entitled to vote in the election of such Preferred Directors but before the closing of the polls in such election, holders of Series A Preferred Stock outstanding as of such record date shall not be entitled to vote in such election of Preferred Directors. Any Preferred Director may be removed at any time with or without cause by the vote of, and shall not be removed otherwise than by the vote of, the holders of record of a majority of the outstanding shares of Series A Preferred Stock and the Parity Preferred then entitled to vote together as a single class in the election of Preferred Directors (voting together as a single class). So long as a Preferred Dividend Default shall continue, any vacancy in the office of a Preferred Director may be filled by written consent of the Preferred Director remaining in office, or if none remains in office, by a plurality of the votes cast in the election of Preferred Directors. Each of the Preferred Directors shall be entitled to one vote on any matter before the Corporation’s board of directors.

 

(f) So long as any shares of Series A Preferred Stock remain outstanding, the affirmative vote or consent of the holders of two-thirds of the outstanding shares of Series A Preferred Stock and each other class or series of Parity Preferred with which the holders of Series A Preferred Stock are entitled to vote together as a single class on such matter (voting together as a single class), given in person or by proxy, either in writing or at a meeting, will be required to: (i) authorize, create or issue, or increase the number of authorized or issued number of shares of, any class or series of capital stock ranking senior to the Series A Preferred Stock with respect to payment of dividends or the distribution of assets upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation (collectively, “Senior Capital Stock”) or reclassify any authorized shares of capital stock of the Corporation into Senior Capital Stock, or create, authorize or issue any obligation or security convertible into or evidencing the right to purchase any Senior Capital Stock; or (ii) amend, alter or repeal the provisions of the Charter, including the terms of the Series A Preferred Stock, whether by merger, consolidation, transfer or conveyance of all or substantially all of its assets or otherwise (an “Event”), so as to materially and adversely affect any right, preference, privilege or voting power of the Series A Preferred Stock; provided however, with respect to the occurrence of any Event, so long as the Series A Preferred Stock remains outstanding with the terms thereof materially unchanged, taking into account that, upon the occurrence of such Event, the Corporation may not be the surviving entity and the surviving entity may not be a corporation, the occurrence of such Event shall not be deemed to materially and adversely affect such rights, preferences, privileges or voting power of Series A Preferred Stock, and in such case such holders shall not have any voting rights with respect to the occurrence of any Event. In addition, if the holders of the Series A Preferred Stock receive the greater of the full trading price of the Series A Preferred Stock on the date of an Event or the $25,000 liquidation preference per share of the Series A Preferred Stock plus all accrued and unpaid dividends thereon pursuant to the occurrence of any Event, then such holders shall not have any voting rights with respect to such Event. If any Event would materially and adversely affect the rights, preferences, privileges or voting powers of the Series A Preferred Stock disproportionately relative to other classes or series of Parity Preferred with which the holders of Series A Preferred Stock are entitled to vote together as a single class on such Event, the affirmative vote of the holders of at least two-thirds of the outstanding shares of the Series A Preferred Stock, voting as a separate class, will also be required. Notwithstanding the foregoing, holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall not be entitled to vote with respect to (A) any increase in the total number of authorized shares of Common Stock or Preferred Stock of the Corporation, (B) any increase in the number of authorized shares of Series A Preferred Stock or the creation or issuance of any other class or series of capital stock or (C) any increase in the number of authorized shares of any other class or series of capital stock; provided that, in each case referred to in clause (A), (B) or (C) above, such capital stock ranks on parity with or junior to the Series A Preferred Stock with respect to the payment of dividends and the distribution of assets upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation. Except as set forth herein, holders of the Series A Preferred Stock shall not have any voting rights with respect to, and the consent of the holders of the Series A Preferred Stock shall not be required for, the taking of any corporate action, including an Event, regardless of the effect that such corporate action or Event may have upon the powers, preferences, voting power or other rights or privileges of the Series A Preferred Stock.

 

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(g) The foregoing voting provisions of this Section 7 shall not apply if, at or prior to the time when the act with respect to which such vote would otherwise be required shall be effected, all outstanding shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall have been redeemed or called for redemption upon proper notice pursuant to this Certificate of Designation, and sufficient funds, in cash, shall have been deposited in trust to effect such redemption.

 

(h) In any matter in which the Series A Preferred Stock may vote together as a single class with holders of all other classes or series of parity preferred stock (as expressly provided herein), each share of Series A Preferred Stock shall be entitled to one vote per $25,000 of liquidation preference.

 

Section 8. Conversion. The shares of Series A Preferred Stock are not convertible into or exchangeable for any other property or securities of the Corporation, except as provided in this Section 8.

 

(a) Upon the occurrence of a Delisting Event or Change of Control, as applicable, each holder of outstanding shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall have the right, unless, on or prior to the Delisting Event Conversion Date or Change of Control Conversion Date, as applicable, the Corporation has provided or provides notice of its election to redeem the Series A Preferred Stock pursuant to the Redemption Right or Special Optional Redemption Right, to convert some or all of the Series A Preferred Stock held by such holder (the “Delisting Event Conversion Right” or “Change of Control Conversion Right,” as applicable) on the Delisting Event Conversion Date or Change of Control Conversion Date, as applicable, into a number of shares of Common Stock per share of Series A Preferred Stock to be converted (the “Common Stock Conversion Consideration”) equal to the lesser of (A) the quotient obtained by dividing (i) the sum of (x) the $25,000 liquidation preference per share of Series A Preferred Stock to be converted plus (y) the amount of any accrued and unpaid dividends to, but not including, the Delisting Event Conversion Date or Change of Control Conversion Date, as applicable (unless the Delisting Event Conversion Date or Change of Control Conversion Date, as applicable, is after a Dividend Record Date and prior to the corresponding Dividend Payment Date, in which case no additional amount for such accrued and unpaid dividends will be included in such sum) by (ii) the Common Stock Price (as defined herein) and (B) 2.176 (the “Share Cap”), subject to the immediately succeeding paragraph.

 

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The Share Cap is subject to pro rata adjustments for any stock splits (including those effected pursuant to a distribution of the Common Stock), subdivisions or combinations (in each case, a “Share Split”) with respect to the Common Stock as follows: the adjusted Share Cap as the result of a Share Split shall be the number of shares of Common Stock that is equivalent to the product obtained by multiplying (i) the Share Cap in effect immediately prior to such Share Split by (ii) a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding after giving effect to such Share Split and the denominator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately prior to such Share Split.

 

In the case of a Delisting Event or Change of Control, as applicable, pursuant to which shares of Common Stock shall be converted into cash, securities or other property or assets (including any combination thereof) (the “Alternative Form Consideration”), a holder of shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall receive upon conversion of such shares of Series A Preferred Stock the kind and amount of Alternative Form Consideration which such holder would have owned or been entitled to receive upon the Delisting Event or Change of Control, as applicable, had such holder held a number of shares of Common Stock equal to the Common Stock Conversion Consideration immediately prior to the effective time of the Delisting Event or Change of Control, as applicable (the “Alternative Conversion Consideration”; and the Common Stock Conversion Consideration or the Alternative Conversion Consideration, as may be applicable to a Delisting Event or Change of Control, as applicable, shall be referred to herein as the “Conversion Consideration”).

 

In the event that holders of Common Stock have the opportunity to elect the form of consideration to be received in the Delisting Event or Change of Control, as applicable, the Conversion Consideration will be deemed to be the kind and amount of consideration actually received by holders of a majority of the shares of Common Stock that were voted in such an election (if electing between two types of consideration) or holders of a plurality of the shares of Common Stock that were voted in such an election (if electing between more than two types of consideration), as the case may be, and will be subject to any limitations to which all holders of Common Stock are subject, including, without limitation, pro rata reductions applicable to any portion of the consideration payable in the Delisting Event or Change of Control, as applicable.

 

The “Delisting Event Conversion Date” or “Change of Control Conversion Date”, as applicable, shall be a Business Day set forth in the notice of Delisting Event or Change of Control, as applicable, provided in accordance with Section 8(c) below that is no less than 20 days nor more than 35 days after the date on which the Corporation provides such notice pursuant to Section 8(c).

 

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The “Common Stock Price” shall be (i) if the consideration to be received in the Change of Control by the holders of Common Stock is solely cash, the amount of cash consideration per share of Common Stock or (ii) if the consideration to be received in the Change of Control by holders of Common Stock is other than solely cash (x) the average of the closing sale prices per share of Common Stock (or, if no closing sale price is reported, the average of the closing bid and ask prices or, if more than one in either case, the average of the average closing bid and the average closing ask prices) for the ten consecutive trading days immediately preceding, but not including, the effective date of the Change of Control as reported on the principal U.S. securities exchange on which the Common Stock is then traded, or (y) the average of the last quoted bid prices for the Common Stock in the over-the-counter market as reported by OTC Markets Group, Inc. or similar organization for the ten consecutive trading days immediately preceding, but not including, the effective date of the Change of Control, if the Common Stock is not then listed for trading on a U.S. securities exchange.

 

The “Common Stock Price” for any Delisting Event will be the average of the closing price per share of our common stock on the 10 consecutive trading days immediately preceding, but not including, the effective date of the Delisting Event.

 

(b) No fractional shares of Common Stock shall be issued upon the conversion of Series A Preferred Stock. In lieu of fractional shares of Common Stock otherwise issuable in respect of the aggregate number of shares of Series A Preferred Stock of any holder that are converted, that holder shall be entitled to receive the cash value of such fractional shares based on the Common Stock Price. If more than one share of Series A Preferred Stock is surrendered for conversion at one time by or for the same holder, the number of full shares of Common Stock issuable upon conversion thereof shall be computed on the basis of the aggregate number of shares of Series A Preferred Stock so surrendered.

 

(c) Within 15 days following the occurrence of a Delisting Event or Change of Control, as applicable, a notice of occurrence of the Delisting Event or Change of Control, as applicable, describing the resulting Delisting Event Conversion Right or Change of Control Conversion Right, as applicable, shall be delivered to the holders of record of the Series A Preferred Stock at their addresses as they appear on the Corporation’s stock transfer records and notice shall be provided to the Corporation’s transfer agent. No failure to give such notice or any defect thereto or in the mailing thereof shall affect the validity of the proceedings for the conversion of any share of Series A Preferred Stock except as to the holder to whom notice was defective or not given. Each notice shall state: (i) the events constituting the Delisting Event or Change of Control, as applicable; (ii) the date of the Delisting Event or Change of Control, as applicable; (iii) the last date on which the holders of Series A Preferred Stock may exercise their Delisting Event Conversion Right or Change of Control Conversion Right, as applicable; (iv) the method and period for calculating the Common Stock Price; (v) the Delisting Event Conversion Right or Change of Control Conversion Date, as applicable; (vi) that if, on or prior to the Delisting Event Conversion Right or Change of Control Conversion Date, as applicable, the Corporation has provided or provides notice of its election to redeem all or any portion of the Series A Preferred Stock, the holder will not be able to convert shares of Series A Preferred Stock designated for redemption and such shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall be redeemed on the related redemption date, even if they have already been tendered for conversion pursuant to the Delisting Event Conversion Right or Change of Control Conversion Right; (vii) if applicable, the type and amount of Alternative Conversion Consideration entitled to be received per share of Series A Preferred Stock; (viii) the name and address of the paying agent and the conversion agent; and (ix) the procedures that the holders of Series A Preferred Stock must follow to exercise the Delisting Event Conversion Right or Change of Control Conversion Right, as applicable.

 

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(d) The Corporation shall issue a press release for publication on the Dow Jones & Corporation, Inc., Business Wire, PR Newswire or Bloomberg Business News (or, if such organizations are not in existence at the time of issuance of such press release, such other news or press organization as is reasonably calculated to broadly disseminate the relevant information to the public), or post notice on the Corporation’s website, in any event prior to the opening of business on the first Business Day following any date on which the Corporation provides notice pursuant to Section 8(c) above to the holders of Series A Preferred Stock.

 

(e) In order to exercise the Delisting Event Conversion Right or Change of Control Conversion Right, as applicable, a holder of shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall be required to deliver, on or before the close of business on the Delisting Event Conversion Right or Change of Control Conversion Date, as applicable, the certificates (if any) representing the shares of Series A Preferred Stock to be converted, duly endorsed for transfer, together with a written conversion notice completed, to the Corporation’s transfer agent. Such notice shall state: (i) the relevant Delisting Event Conversion Date or Change of Control Conversion Date, as applicable; (ii) the number of shares of Series A Preferred Stock to be converted; and (iii) that the shares of Series A Preferred Stock are to be converted pursuant to the applicable provisions of this Certificate of Designation. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the shares of Series A Preferred Stock are held in global form, such notice shall comply with applicable procedures of The Depository Trust Corporation (“DTC”).

 

(f) Holders of Series A Preferred Stock may withdraw any notice of exercise of a Delisting Event Conversion Right or Change of Control Conversion Right (in whole or in part), as applicable, by a written notice of withdrawal delivered to the Corporation’s transfer agent prior to the close of business on the Business Day prior to the Delisting Event Conversion Date or Change of Control Conversion Date, as applicable. The notice of withdrawal must state: (i) the number of withdrawn shares of Series A Preferred Stock; (ii) if certificated shares of Series A Preferred Stock have been issued, the certificate numbers of the shares of withdrawn Series A Preferred Stock; and (iii) the number of shares of Series A Preferred Stock, if any, which remain subject to the conversion notice. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the shares of Series A Preferred Stock are held in global form, the notice of withdrawal shall comply with applicable procedures of DTC.

 

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(g) Shares of Series A Preferred Stock as to which the Delisting Event Conversion Right or Change of Control Conversion Right, as applicable, has been properly exercised and for which the conversion notice has not been properly withdrawn shall be converted into the applicable Conversion Consideration in accordance with the Delisting Event Conversion Right or Change of Control Conversion Right, as applicable, on the Delisting Event Conversion Date or Change of Control Conversion Date, as applicable, unless, on or prior to the Delisting Event Conversion Date or Change of Control Conversion Date, as applicable, the Corporation has provided or provides notice of its election to redeem such shares of Series A Preferred Stock, whether pursuant to its Redemption Right or Special Optional Redemption Right. If the Corporation elects to redeem shares of Series A Preferred Stock that would otherwise be converted into the applicable Conversion Consideration on a Delisting Event Conversion Date or Change of Control Conversion Date, as applicable, such shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall not be so converted and the holders of such shares shall be entitled to receive on the applicable redemption date $25,000 per share, plus any accrued and unpaid dividends thereon to, but not including, the redemption date.

 

(h) The Corporation shall deliver the applicable Conversion Consideration no later than the third Business Day following the Delisting Event Conversion Date or Change of Control Conversion Date, as applicable.

 

(i) The shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall not be convertible into or exchangeable for any other property or securities of the Corporation or any other entity, except as otherwise provided herein.

 

Section 9. No Conversion Rights. The shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall not be convertible into or exchangeable for any other property or securities of the Corporation or any other entity, except as otherwise provided herein.

 

Section 10. Record Holders. The Corporation and its transfer agent may deem and treat the record holder of any Series A Preferred Stock as the true and lawful owner thereof for all purposes, and neither the Corporation nor its transfer agent shall be affected by any notice to the contrary.

 

Section 11. No Maturity or Sinking Fund. The Series A Preferred Stock has no maturity date, and no sinking fund has been established for the retirement or redemption of Series A Preferred Stock.

 

Section 12. Exclusion of Other Rights. The Series A Preferred Stock shall not have any preferences or other rights, voting powers, restrictions, limitations as to dividends or other distributions, qualifications or terms or conditions of redemption other than expressly set forth in the Charter and this Certificate of Designation.

 

Section 13. Headings of Subdivisions. The headings of the various subdivisions hereof are for convenience of reference only and shall not affect the interpretation of any of the provisions hereof.

 

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Section 14. Severability of Provisions. If any preferences or other rights, voting powers, restrictions, limitations as to dividends or other distributions, qualifications or terms or conditions of redemption of the Series A Preferred Stock set forth in this Certificate of Designation are invalid, unlawful or incapable of being enforced by reason of any rule of law or public policy, all other preferences or other rights, voting powers, restrictions, limitations as to dividends or other distributions, qualifications or terms or conditions of redemption of Series A Preferred Stock set forth in this Certificate of Designation which can be given effect without the invalid, unlawful or unenforceable provision thereof shall, nevertheless, remain in full force and effect and no preferences or other rights, voting powers, restrictions, limitations as to dividends or other distributions, qualifications or terms or conditions of redemption of the Series A Preferred Stock herein set forth shall be deemed dependent upon any other provision thereof unless so expressed therein.

 

Section 15. No Preemptive Rights. No holder of Series A Preferred Stock shall be entitled to any preemptive rights to subscribe for or acquire any unissued shares of capital stock of the Corporation (whether now or hereafter authorized) or securities of the Corporation convertible into or carrying a right to subscribe to or acquire shares of capital stock of the Corporation.

 

* * * * * *

 

 

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Exhibit 4.1

 

DEPOSIT AGREEMENT

 

This DEPOSIT AGREEMENT is made and entered into as of October 7, 2019 by and among B. Riley Financial, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, as Depositary, and all holders from time to time of Receipts (as hereinafter defined) issued hereunder.

 

WITNESSETH:

 

WHEREAS, it is desired to provide, as hereinafter set forth in this Deposit Agreement, for the deposit of shares of the Company’s Preferred Stock (as hereinafter defined) with the Depositary for the purposes set forth in this Deposit Agreement and for the issuance hereunder of the Receipts evidencing Depositary Shares (as hereinafter defined) representing fractional interests in the Preferred Stock deposited; and

 

WHEREAS, the Receipts are to be substantially in the form of Exhibit A annexed to this Deposit Agreement, with appropriate insertions, modifications and omissions, as hereinafter provided in this Deposit Agreement;

 

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the promises contained herein, it is agreed by and among the parties hereto as follows:

 

ARTICLE I

 

DEFINITIONS

 

The following definitions shall apply to the respective terms (in the singular and plural forms of such terms) used in this Deposit Agreement and the Receipts:

 

SECTION 1.01. “Alternative Conversion Consideration” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in the Certificate of Designation.

 

SECTION 1.02. “Articles of Incorporation” shall mean the Amended and Restated certificate of incorporation, as amended, as the same may be amended and supplemented from time to time, of the Company.

 

SECTION 1.03. “Business Day” shall mean any day other than a Saturday, Sunday or a day on which state or federally chartered banking institutions in New York, New York are not required to be open.

 

SECTION 1.04. “Certificate of Designation” shall mean the Certificate of Designation, classifying 10,000 shares of Preferred Stock as a series of preferred stock of the Company, in the form filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware.

 

SECTION 1.05. “Change of Control” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in the Certificate of Designation.

 

 

 

 

SECTION 1.06. “Change of Control Conversion Date” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in the Certificate of Designation.

 

SECTION 1.07. “Change of Control Conversion Right” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.04 hereof.

 

SECTION 1.08. “Common Stock” shall mean shares of the Company’s common stock, $0.0001 par value per share.

 

SECTION 1.09. “Common Stock Price” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in the Certificate of Designation.

 

SECTION 1.10. “Company” shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble hereof.

 

SECTION 1.11. “Conversion Consideration” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in the Certificate of Designation.

 

SECTION 1.12. “Corporate Office” shall mean the corporate office of the Depositary at which at any particular time its business in respect of matters governed by this Deposit Agreement shall be administered, which at the date of this Deposit Agreement is located at 1 State Street, New York, New York.

 

SECTION 1.13. “Delisting Event” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in the Certificate of Designation.

 

SECTION 1.14. “Delisting Event Conversion Date” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in the Certificate of Designation.

 

SECTION 1.15. “Delisting Event Conversion Right” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.04 hereof.

 

SECTION 1.16. “Deposit Agreement” shall mean this agreement, as the same may be amended, modified or supplemented from time to time.

 

SECTION 1.17. “Depositary” shall mean Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, a company or corporation having its principal office in the United States, and any successor as depositary hereunder.

 

SECTION 1.18. “Depositary Share” shall mean a 1/1000th fractional interest of a share of Preferred Stock deposited with the Depositary hereunder and the same proportionate interest in any and all other property received by the Depositary in respect of such share of Preferred Stock and held under this Deposit Agreement, all as evidenced by the Receipts issued hereunder. Subject to the terms of this Deposit Agreement, each owner of a Depositary Share is entitled, proportionately, to all the rights, preferences and privileges of the Preferred Stock represented by such Depositary Share, including the dividend and distribution, voting, redemption, conversion and liquidation rights as set forth in the Certificate of Designation.

 

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SECTION 1.19. “Depositary’s Agent” shall mean one or more agents appointed by the Depositary as provided, and for the purposes specified, in Section 7.05 hereof.

 

SECTION 1.20. “DTC” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.02 hereof.

 

SECTION 1.21. “Exchange Act” shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

 

SECTION 1.22. “NASDAQ” shall mean The Nasdaq Global Market or a successor that is a national securities exchange registered under Section 6 of the Exchange Act.

 

SECTION 1.23. “Preferred Stock” shall mean the Company’s 6.875% Series A Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock, $0.0001 par value per share, heretofore validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable.

 

SECTION 1.24. “Optional Redemption Right” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.03 hereof.

 

SECTION 1.25. “Receipt” shall mean a depositary receipt issued hereunder to evidence one or more Depositary Shares, whether in definitive or temporary form, substantially in the form set forth as Exhibit A hereto.

 

SECTION 1.26. “record date” shall mean the date fixed pursuant to Section 4.04 hereof.

 

SECTION 1.27. “record holder” or “holder” as applied to a Receipt shall mean the person in whose name a Receipt is registered on the books maintained by the Depositary for such purpose.

 

SECTION 1.28. “redemption date” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.03 hereof.

 

SECTION 1.29. “Registrar” shall mean Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, or any bank or trust company appointed to register ownership and transfers of Receipts or the deposited Preferred Stock, as the case may be, as herein provided.

 

SECTION 1.30. “Securities Act” shall mean the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

 

SECTION 1.31. “Signature Guarantee” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.05 hereof.

 

SECTION 1.32. “Special Damages” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 5.08 hereof.

 

SECTION 1.33. “Special Optional Redemption Right” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.03 hereof.

 

SECTION 1.34. “Transfer Agent” shall mean Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, or any bank or trust company appointed to transfer the Receipts or the deposited Preferred Stock, as the case may be, as herein provided.

 

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ARTICLE II

 

FORM OF RECEIPTS, DEPOSIT OF PREFERRED STOCK, EXECUTION

AND DELIVERY, TRANSFER, SURRENDER AND REDEMPTION OF RECEIPTS

 

SECTION 2.01. Form and Transferability of Receipts. Definitive Receipts shall be substantially in the form set forth in Exhibit A annexed to this Deposit Agreement, with appropriate insertions, modifications and omissions, as hereinafter provided. Pending the preparation of definitive Receipts, the Depositary, upon the written order of the Company, delivered in compliance with Section 2.02, shall execute and deliver temporary Receipts which may be printed, lithographed, typewritten, mimeographed or otherwise substantially of the tenor of the definitive Receipts in lieu of which they are issued and with such appropriate insertions, omissions, substitutions and other variations as the persons executing such Receipts may determine, as evidenced by their execution of such Receipts. If temporary Receipts are issued, the Company and the Depositary will cause definitive Receipts to be prepared without unreasonable delay. After the preparation of definitive Receipts, the temporary Receipts shall be exchangeable for definitive Receipts upon surrender of the temporary Receipts at the Corporate Office or such other offices, if any, as the Depositary may designate, without charge to the holder. Upon surrender for cancellation of any one or more temporary Receipts, the Depositary shall execute and deliver in exchange therefor definitive Receipts representing the same number of Depositary Shares as represented by the surrendered temporary Receipt or Receipts. Such exchange shall be made at the Company’s expense and without any charge therefor. Until so exchanged, the temporary Receipts shall in all respects be entitled to the same benefits under this Deposit Agreement, and with respect to the Preferred Stock deposited, as definitive Receipts.

 

Receipts shall be executed by the Depositary by the manual or facsimile signature of a duly authorized signatory of the Depositary, provided that if a Registrar (other than the Depositary) shall have been appointed then such Receipts shall also be countersigned by manual signature of a duly authorized signatory of the Registrar. No Receipt shall be entitled to any benefits under this Deposit Agreement or be valid or obligatory for any purpose unless it shall have been executed as provided in the preceding sentence. The Depositary shall record on its books each Receipt executed as provided above and delivered as hereinafter provided.

 

Except as the Depositary may otherwise determine, Receipts shall be in denominations of any number of whole Depositary Shares. All Receipts shall be dated the date of their issuance.

 

Receipts may be endorsed with or have incorporated in the text thereof such legends or recitals or changes not inconsistent with the provisions of this Deposit Agreement as may be required by the Company or required to comply with any applicable law or regulation or with the rules and regulations of any securities exchange or interdealer quotation system upon which the Preferred Stock, the Depositary Shares or the Receipts may be listed or quoted or to conform with any usage with respect thereto, or to indicate any special limitations or restrictions to which any particular Receipts are subject, in each case, as directed by the Company.

 

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Title to any Receipt (and to the Depositary Shares evidenced by such Receipt) that is properly endorsed or accompanied by a properly executed instrument of transfer or endorsement shall be transferable by delivery with the same effect as in the case of a negotiable instrument; provided, however, that until a Receipt shall be transferred on the books of the Depositary as provided in Section 2.05 hereof, the Depositary may, notwithstanding any notice to the contrary, treat the record holder thereof at such time as the absolute owner thereof for the purpose of determining the person entitled to dividends or other distributions, the exercise of any redemption, conversion or voting rights or to any notice provided for in this Deposit Agreement and for all other purposes.

 

SECTION 2.02. Deposit of Preferred Stock; Execution and Delivery of Receipts in Respect Thereof. Subject to the terms and conditions of this Deposit Agreement, the Company may from time to time deposit shares of Preferred Stock under this Deposit Agreement by delivery to the Depositary of a certificate or certificates for such shares of Preferred Stock, registered in the name of the Depository Trust Company (“DTC”), or its designee, properly endorsed or accompanied, if required by the Depositary, by a duly executed instrument of transfer or endorsement, in form satisfactory to the Depositary, together with (i) all such certifications as may be required by the Depositary in accordance with the provisions of this Deposit Agreement and (ii) a written letter of instruction of the Company directing the Depositary to execute and deliver to, or upon the written order of, the person or persons stated in such order a Receipt or Receipts for the Depositary Shares representing such deposited Preferred Stock. The Depositary agrees to hold such deposited Preferred Stock in an account to be established by the Depositary at the Corporate Office or at such other office as the Depositary shall determine. The Company hereby appoints the Depositary as the Registrar and Transfer Agent for the Preferred Stock deposited hereunder and the Depositary hereby accepts such appointment and, as such, will reflect changes in the number of shares (including any fractional shares) of deposited Preferred Stock held by it by notation, book-entry or other appropriate method.

 

If required by the Depositary, Preferred Stock presented for deposit by the Company at any time, whether or not the register of stockholders of the Company is closed, shall also be accompanied by an agreement or assignment, or other instrument satisfactory to the Depositary, that will provide for the prompt transfer to the Depositary or its nominee of any distribution or right to subscribe for additional Preferred Stock or to receive other property that any person in whose name the Preferred Stock is or has been registered may thereafter receive upon or in respect of such deposited Preferred Stock, or in lieu thereof such agreement of indemnity or other agreement as shall be satisfactory to the Depositary.

 

Upon receipt by the Depositary of a certificate or certificates for Preferred Stock deposited hereunder, together with the other documents specified above, and upon registering such Preferred Stock in the name of the Depositary, the Depositary, subject to the terms and conditions of this Deposit Agreement, shall execute and deliver to, or upon the order of, the person or persons named in the written order delivered to the Depositary referred to in the first paragraph of this Section 2.02 a Receipt or Receipts for the number of whole Depositary Shares representing the Preferred Stock so deposited and registered in such name or names as may be requested by such person or persons. The Depositary shall execute and deliver such Receipt or Receipts at the Corporate Office, except that, at the request, risk and expense of any person requesting such delivery, such delivery may be made at such other place as may be designated by such person.

 

Other than in the case of splits, combinations or other reclassifications affecting the Preferred Stock, or in the case of distributions of Preferred Stock, if any, there shall be deposited hereunder not more than the number of shares constituting the Preferred Stock as set forth in the Certificate of Designation, as the same may be amended.

 

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The Company shall deliver to the Depositary from time to time such quantities of Receipts as the Depositary may request to enable the Depositary to perform its obligations under this Deposit Agreement.

 

SECTION 2.03. Optional Redemption and Special Optional Redemption of Preferred Stock for Cash. Except as expressly provided herein, shares of the Preferred Stock are not redeemable prior to October 7, 2024 (the “Optional Redemption Right”). In addition, in the event of a Delisting Event or Change of Control, the Company shall have the option to redeem the Preferred Stock and Depositary Shares for cash, in whole or in part, in accordance with the Certificate of Designation within 90 days after the first date on which such Delisting Event occurred or within 120 days after the first date on which the Change of Control occurred, as applicable (the “Special Optional Redemption Right”). In case of any redemption, whether pursuant to the Optional Redemption Right or the Special Optional Redemption Right, the Company shall (unless otherwise agreed in writing with the Depositary) give the Depositary not less than 30 nor more than 60 days’ prior written notice of the date of such proposed redemption and of the number of such shares of Preferred Stock held by the Depositary to be redeemed and the applicable redemption price, as set forth in the Certificate of Designation, including the amount, if any, of accrued and unpaid dividends thereon to, but not including, the date fixed for redemption. The Depositary shall mail, first-class postage prepaid, notice of the redemption of Preferred Stock and the proposed simultaneous redemption of the Depositary Shares representing the Preferred Stock to be redeemed, not less than 30 nor more than 60 days prior to the date fixed for redemption of such Preferred Stock and Depositary Shares (the “redemption date”), to the record holders of the Receipts evidencing the Depositary Shares to be so redeemed, at the addresses of such holders as the same appear on the records of the Depositary. No failure to give such notice or any defect thereto or in the mailing thereof shall affect the sufficiency of notice or validity of the proceedings for redemption except as to a holder to whom notice was defective or not given. A redemption notice which has been mailed in the manner provided herein shall be conclusively presumed to have been duly given on the date mailed whether or not the holder received the redemption notice. The Company shall provide the Depositary with such notice, and each such notice shall state: (i) the redemption date; (ii) the redemption price; (iii) the number of shares of deposited Preferred Stock and Depositary Shares to be redeemed; (iv) if fewer than all the Depositary Shares held by any holder are to be redeemed, the number of such Depositary Shares held by such holder to be so redeemed; (v) the place or places where Receipts evidencing the Depositary Shares to be redeemed are to be surrendered for payment of the redemption price; and (vi) that from and after the redemption date dividends in respect of the Preferred Stock represented by the Depositary Shares to be redeemed will cease to accrue. If fewer than all of the outstanding Depositary Shares are to be redeemed, the Depositary Shares to be redeemed shall be redeemed pro rata (as nearly as may be practicable without creating fractional Depositary Shares) or lot. In the event the Company is exercising its Special Optional Redemption Right, the notice referred to above shall also state: (i) that the Preferred Stock and Depositary Shares are being redeemed pursuant to the Company’s Special Optional Redemption Right in connection with the occurrence of a Delisting Event or Change of Control, as applicable, and a brief description of the transaction(s) constituting such Delisting Event or Change of Control, as applicable and (ii) that the Preferred Stock and Depositary Shares may not be tendered for conversion in connection with the Delisting Event or Change of Control, as applicable, by the holder thereof and that each share of Preferred Stock and each Depositary Share so tendered for conversion that is selected, prior to the Delisting Event Conversion Date or Change of Control Conversion Date, as applicable, for redemption will be redeemed on the related date of redemption instead of converted on the Delisting Event Conversion Date or Change of Control Conversion Date, as applicable.

 

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In the event that notice of redemption has been made as described in this Section 2.03 and the Company shall then have paid or caused to be paid in full to the Depositary the redemption price (determined pursuant to the Certificate of Designation) of the Preferred Stock deposited with the Depositary to be redeemed (including any accrued and unpaid dividends to, but not including, the redemption date), the Depositary shall redeem the number of Depositary Shares representing such Preferred Stock so called for redemption by the Company and from and after the redemption date (unless the Company shall have failed to pay for the shares of Preferred Stock to be redeemed by it as set forth in the Company’s notice provided for in the preceding paragraph), all dividends in respect of the shares of Preferred Stock called for redemption shall cease to accrue, the Depositary Shares called for redemption shall be deemed no longer to be outstanding and all rights of the holders of Receipts evidencing such Depositary Shares (except the right to receive the redemption price) shall, to the extent of such Depositary Shares, cease and terminate. Upon surrender in accordance with said notice of the Receipts evidencing such Depositary Shares (properly endorsed or assigned for transfer, if the Depositary or applicable law shall so require), such Depositary Shares shall be redeemed at the redemption price (determined pursuant to the Certificate of Designation). The foregoing shall be further subject to the terms and conditions of the Certificate of Designation. In the event of any conflict between the provisions of this Deposit Agreement and the provisions of the Certificate of Designation, the provisions of the Certificate of Designation will govern and the Company will instruct the Depositary accordingly.

 

Unless full cumulative dividends on all Preferred Stock shall have been or contemporaneously are declared and paid in cash or declared and a sum sufficient for the payment thereof in cash irrevocably set apart for payment for all past dividend periods, no Preferred Stock shall be redeemed unless all outstanding shares of Preferred Stock are simultaneously redeemed and the Company shall not purchase or otherwise acquire directly or indirectly any shares of Preferred Stock or any class or series of equity securities of the Company ranking, as to dividends or upon liquidation, on a parity with or junior to the Preferred Stock (except by exchange for shares of equity securities of the Company ranking, as to dividends and upon liquidation, junior to the Preferred Stock); provided, however, that the foregoing shall not prevent the purchase of Preferred Stock by the Company pursuant to a purchase or exchange offer made on the same terms to holders of all outstanding shares of Preferred Stock.

 

If fewer than all of the Depositary Shares evidenced by a Receipt are called for redemption, the Depositary will deliver to the holder of such Receipt upon its surrender to the Depositary, together with payment of the redemption price for and all other amounts payable in respect of the Depositary Shares called for redemption, a new Receipt evidencing such holder’s Depositary Shares evidenced by such prior Receipt that are not called for redemption.

 

The Company acknowledges that the bank accounts maintained by the Depositary in connection with the performance of the services described herein will be in the name of the Depositary and that the Depositary may receive investment earnings in connection with the investment at the Depositary’s risk and for its benefit of funds held in those accounts from time to time.

 

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SECTION 2.04. Optional Conversion Upon a Delisting Event or Change of Control. Shares of Preferred Stock and Depositary Shares shall not be convertible into or exchangeable for any other property or securities of the Company, except as provided in the Certificate of Designation.

 

In the event of a Delisting Event or Change of Control, as applicable, each holder of Depositary Shares shall have the right, unless, prior to the Delisting Event Conversion Date or Change of Control Conversion Date, as applicable, the Company has provided or provides notice of its election to redeem the Depositary Shares pursuant to the Optional Redemption Right or Special Optional Redemption Right, to convert some or all of the Depositary Shares held by such holder (the “Delisting Event Conversion Right” or “Change of Control Conversion Right,” as applicable) on the Delisting Event Conversion Date or Change of Control Conversion Date, as applicable, into shares of Common Stock as provided in the Certificate of Designation.

 

No fractional shares of Common Stock shall be issued upon the conversion of Depositary Shares. In lieu of fractional shares, holders shall be entitled to receive the cash value of such fractional shares based on the Common Stock Price.

 

Within 15 days following the occurrence of a Delisting Event or Change of Control, as applicable, a notice of occurrence of the Delisting Event or Change of Control, as applicable, describing the resulting Delisting Event Conversion Right or Change of Control Conversion Right, as applicable, shall be delivered to the holders of record of the Depositary Shares at their addresses as they appear on the Company’s share transfer records and notice shall be provided to the Company’s Transfer Agent. No failure to give such notice or any defect thereto or in the mailing thereof shall affect the validity of the proceedings for the conversion of any Depositary Shares except as to the holder to whom notice was defective or not given. Each notice shall state: (i) the events constituting the Delisting Event or Change of Control, as applicable; (ii) the date of the Delisting Event or Change of Control, as applicable; (iii) the last date on which the holders of Series A Preferred Stock may exercise their Delisting Event Conversion Right or Change of Control Conversion Right, as applicable; (iv) the method and period for calculating the Common Stock Price; (v) the Delisting Event Conversion Right or Change of Control Conversion Date, as applicable; (vi) that if, on or prior to the Delisting Event Conversion Right or Change of Control Conversion Date, as applicable, the Corporation has provided or provides notice of its election to redeem all or any portion of the Series A Preferred Stock, the holder will not be able to convert shares of Series A Preferred Stock designated for redemption and such shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall be redeemed on the related redemption date, even if they have already been tendered for conversion pursuant to the Delisting Event Conversion Right or Change of Control Conversion Right; (vii) if applicable, the type and amount of Alternative Conversion Consideration entitled to be received per share of Series A Preferred Stock; (viii) the name and address of the paying agent and the conversion agent; and (ix) the procedures that the holders of Series A Preferred Stock must follow to exercise the Delisting Event Conversion Right or Change of Control Conversion Right, as applicable.

 

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In order to exercise the Delisting Event Conversion Right or Change of Control Conversion Right, as applicable, a holder of Depositary Shares shall be required to deliver, on or before the close of business on the Delisting Event Conversion Right or Change of Control Conversion Date, as applicable, the certificates (if any) representing the Depositary Shares to be converted, duly endorsed for transfer, together with a written conversion notice completed, to the Company’s transfer agent. Such notice shall state: (i) the relevant Delisting Event Conversion Date or Change of Control Conversion Date, as applicable; (ii) the number of Depositary Shares to be converted; and (iii) that the Depositary Shares are to be converted pursuant to the applicable provisions of the Certificate of Designation. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the shares of Series A Preferred Stock are held in global form, such notice shall comply with applicable procedures of DTC or other depositary, as applicable.

 

Holders of Depositary Shares may withdraw any notice of exercise of a Delisting Event Conversion Right or Change of Control Conversion Right (in whole or in part), as applicable, by a written notice of withdrawal delivered to the Company’s Transfer Agent prior to the close of business on the Business Day prior to the Delisting Event Conversion Date or Change of Control Conversion Date, as applicable. The notice of withdrawal must state: (i) the number of withdrawn Depositary Shares; (ii) if Receipts have been issued, the numbers of the withdrawn Receipts; and (iii) the number of Depositary Shares, if any, which remain subject to the conversion notice. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Depositary Shares are held in global form, the notice of withdrawal shall comply with the procedures of DTC or other depositary, as applicable.

 

Depositary Shares as to which the Delisting Event Conversion Right or Change of Control Conversion Right, as applicable has been properly exercised and for which the conversion notice has not been properly withdrawn shall be converted into the applicable Conversion Consideration in accordance with the Delisting Event Conversion Right or Change of Control Conversion Right, as applicable, on the Delisting Event Conversion Date or the Change of Control Conversion Date, as applicable, unless, prior to the Delisting Event Conversion Date or the Change of Control Conversion Date, as applicable, the Company has provided or provides notice of its election to redeem such Depositary Shares, whether pursuant to its Optional Redemption Right or Special Optional Redemption Right. If the Company elects to redeem Depositary Shares that would otherwise be converted into the applicable Conversion Consideration on a Delisting Event Conversion Date or the Change of Control Conversion Date, as applicable, such Depositary Shares shall not be so converted and the holders of such shares shall be entitled to receive the redemption price on the applicable redemption date.

 

The Company shall deliver the applicable Conversion Consideration no later than the third Business Day following the Delisting Event Conversion Date or the Change of Control Conversion Date, as applicable. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the persons entitled to receive any shares of our Common Stock or other securities delivered on conversion will be deemed to have been holders of record thereof as of the Delisting Event Conversion Date or the Change of Control Conversion Date, as applicable.

 

In the event that holders of Common Stock have the opportunity to elect the form of consideration to be received in, or in connection with, the Delisting Event or Change of Control, as applicable, the consideration that the holders of Depositary Shares shall receive shall be the form and proportion of the aggregate consideration elected by the holders of the Common Stock who participate in the determination (based on the weighted average of elections) and shall be subject to any limitations to which all holders of Common Stock are subject, including, without limitation, pro rata reductions applicable to any portion of the consideration payable in, or in connection with, the Delisting Event or Change of Control, as applicable.

 

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SECTION 2.05. Registration of Transfers of Receipts. The Company hereby appoints the Depositary as the Registrar and Transfer Agent for the Receipts, and the Depositary hereby accepts such appointment and, as such, shall register on its books from time to time transfers of Receipts upon any surrender thereof by the holder in person or by a duly authorized attorney, agent or representative, properly endorsed or accompanied by a properly executed instrument of transfer or endorsement and including a guarantee of the signature thereon by a participant in a signature guarantee medallion program approved by the Securities Transfer Association (a “Signature Guarantee”), together with evidence of the payment of any transfer taxes as may be required by applicable law. Upon such surrender, the Depositary shall execute a new Receipt or Receipts and deliver the same to or upon the order of the person entitled thereto evidencing the same aggregate number of Depositary Shares evidenced by the Receipt or Receipts surrendered.

 

SECTION 2.06. Combinations and Split-ups of Receipts. Upon surrender of a Receipt or Receipts at the Corporate Office or such other office as the Depositary may designate for the purpose of effecting a split-up or combination of Receipts, subject to the terms and conditions of this Deposit Agreement, the Depositary shall execute and deliver a new Receipt or Receipts in the authorized denominations requested evidencing the same aggregate number of Depositary Shares evidenced by the Receipt or Receipts surrendered.

 

SECTION 2.07. Surrender of Receipts and Withdrawal of Preferred Stock. Any holder of a Receipt or Receipts may withdraw any or all of the deposited Preferred Stock represented by the Depositary Shares evidenced by such Receipt or Receipts and all money and other property, if any, represented by such Depositary Shares by surrendering such Receipt or Receipts at the Corporate Office or at such other office as the Depositary may designate for such withdrawals. After such surrender, without unreasonable delay, the Depositary shall deliver to such holder, or to the person or persons designated by such holder as hereinafter provided, the number of whole or fractional shares of such Preferred Stock and all such money and other property, if any, represented by the Depositary Shares evidenced by the Receipt or Receipts so surrendered for withdrawal, but holders of such whole or fractional shares of Preferred Stock will not thereafter be entitled to deposit such Preferred Stock hereunder or to receive Depositary Shares therefor. If the Receipt or Receipts delivered by the holder to the Depositary in connection with such withdrawal shall evidence a number of Depositary Shares in excess of the number of Depositary Shares representing the number of whole or fractional shares of deposited Preferred Stock to be withdrawn, the Depositary shall at the same time, in addition to such number of whole or fractional shares of Preferred Stock and such money and other property, if any, to be withdrawn, deliver to such holder, or (subject to Section 2.05) upon his order, a new Receipt or Receipts evidencing such excess number of Depositary Shares. Delivery of such Preferred Stock and such money and other property being withdrawn may be made by the delivery of such certificates, documents of title and other instruments as the Depositary may deem appropriate, which, if required by the Depositary, shall be properly endorsed or accompanied by a properly executed instrument of transfer or endorsement.

 

If the deposited Preferred Stock and the money and other property being withdrawn are to be delivered to a person or persons other than the record holder of the Receipt or Receipts being surrendered for withdrawal of Preferred Stock, such holder shall execute and deliver to the Depositary a written order so directing the Depositary and the Depositary may require that the Receipt or Receipts surrendered by such holder for withdrawal of such shares of Preferred Stock be properly endorsed in blank or accompanied by a properly executed instrument of transfer or endorsement in blank with a Signature Guarantee.

 

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The Depositary shall deliver the deposited Preferred Stock and the money and other property, if any, represented by the Depositary Shares evidenced by Receipts surrendered for withdrawal at the Corporate Office, except that, at the request, risk and expense of the holder surrendering such Receipt or Receipts and for the account of the holder thereof, such delivery may be made at such other place as may be designated by such holder.

 

SECTION 2.08. Limitations on Execution and Delivery, Transfer, Split-up, Combination. As a condition precedent to the execution and delivery, transfer, split-up, combination, surrender or exchange of any Receipt, the Depositary, any of the Depositary’s Agents or the Company may require any or all of the following: (i) payment to it of a sum sufficient for the payment (or, in the event that the Depositary or the Company shall have made such payment, the reimbursement to it) of any tax or other governmental charge with respect thereto (including any such tax or charge with respect to the Preferred Stock being deposited or withdrawn); (ii) the production of proof satisfactory to it as to the identity and genuineness of any signature (or the authority of any signature), including a Signature Guarantee; and (iii) compliance with such regulations, if any, as the Depositary or the Company may establish consistent with the provisions of this Deposit Agreement as may be required by any securities exchange upon which the deposited Preferred Stock, the Depositary Shares or the Receipts may be included for quotation or listed.

 

The deposit of Preferred Stock may be refused, the delivery of Receipts against Preferred Stock may be suspended, the transfer of Receipts may be refused, and the transfer, split-up, combination, surrender, exchange or redemption of outstanding Receipts may be suspended (i) during any period when the register of stockholders of the Company is closed or (ii) if any such action is deemed reasonably necessary or advisable by the Depositary, any of time Depositary’s Agents or the Company at any time or from time to time because of any requirement of applicable law or of any government or governmental body or commission, or under any provision of this Deposit Agreement.

 

SECTION 2.09. Lost Receipts, etc. In case any Receipt shall be mutilated or destroyed or lost or stolen, the Depositary in its discretion may execute and deliver a Receipt of like form and tenor in exchange and substitution for such mutilated Receipt or in lieu of and in substitution for such destroyed, lost or stolen Receipt, provided that the holder thereof provides the Depositary with (i) evidence reasonably satisfactory to the Depositary of such destruction, loss or theft of such Receipt, of the authenticity thereof and of his ownership thereof and (ii) reasonable indemnification and the provision of an open penalty surety bond, in each case, satisfactory to the Depositary and the Company and holding the Depositary and the Company harmless.

 

SECTION 2.10. Cancellation and Destruction of Surrendered Receipts. All Receipts surrendered to the Depositary or any Depositary’s Agent shall be cancelled by the Depositary. Except as prohibited by applicable law or regulation, the Depositary is authorized to destroy such Receipts so cancelled.

 

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ARTICLE III

 

CERTAIN OBLIGATIONS OF HOLDERS OF RECEIPTS AND THE COMPANY

 

SECTION 3.01. Filing Proofs, Certificates and Other Information. Any person presenting Preferred Stock for deposit or any holder of a Receipt may be required from time to time to file such proof of residence or other information and to execute such certificates as the Depositary or the Company may reasonably deem necessary or proper. The Depositary or the Company may withhold or delay the delivery of any Receipt, the transfer, redemption or exchange of any Receipt, the withdrawal of the deposited Preferred Stock represented by the Depositary Shares evidenced by any Receipt, the distribution of any distribution or the sale of any rights or of the proceeds thereof, until such proof or other information is filed or such certificates are executed.

 

SECTION 3.02. Payment of Fees and Expenses. Holders of Receipts shall be obligated to make payments to the Depositary of certain fees and expenses, as provided in Section 5.09, or provide evidence reasonably satisfactory to the Depositary that such fees and expenses have been paid. Until such payment is made, transfer of any Receipt or any withdrawal of the Preferred Stock or money or other property, if any, represented by the Depositary Shares evidenced by such Receipt may be refused, any distribution may be withheld, and any part or all of the Preferred Stock or other property represented by the Depositary Shares evidenced by such Receipt may be sold for the account of the holder thereof (after attempting by reasonable means to notify such holder a reasonable number of days prior to such sale). Any distribution so withheld and the proceeds of any such sale may be applied to any payment of such fees or expenses, the holder of such Receipt remaining liable for any deficiency.

 

SECTION 3.03. Representations and Warranties as to Preferred Stock. In the case of the initial deposit of the Preferred Stock hereunder, the Company and, in the case of subsequent deposits thereof, each person so depositing Preferred Stock under this Deposit Agreement, shall be deemed thereby to represent and warrant that such Preferred Stock and each certificate therefor are valid and that the person making such deposit is duly authorized to do so. The Company hereby further represents and warrants that such Preferred Stock, when issued, will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable. Such representations and warranties shall survive the deposit of the Preferred Stock and the issuance of Receipts.

 

SECTION 3.04. Representation and Warranty as to Receipts and Depositary Shares. The Company hereby represents and warrants that the Receipts, when issued, will evidence legal and valid interests in the Depositary Shares and each Depositary Share will represent a legal and valid fractional interest in a share of deposited Preferred Stock represented by such Depositary Share. Such representation and warranty shall survive the deposit of the Preferred Stock and the issuance of Receipts evidencing the Depositary Shares.

 

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ARTICLE IV

 

THE PREFERRED STOCK; NOTICES

 

SECTION 4.01. Dividends and Other Cash Distributions. Whenever the Depositary shall receive any dividend or other cash distributions on the deposited Preferred Stock, including any cash received upon redemption of any shares of Preferred Stock pursuant to Section 2.03, the Depositary shall, subject to Section 3.02, distribute to record holders of Receipts on the record date fixed pursuant to Section 4.04 such amounts of such sum as are, as nearly as practicable, in proportion to the respective numbers of Depositary Shares evidenced by the Receipts held by such holders; provided, however, that, in case the Company or the Depositary shall be required by law to withhold and shall withhold from any cash distribution in respect of the Preferred Stock an amount on account of taxes or as otherwise required by law, regulation or court process, the amount made available for distribution or distributed in respect of Depositary Shares shall be reduced accordingly. The Depositary shall distribute or make available for distribution, as the case may be, only such amount, however, as can be distributed without attributing to any holder of Receipts a fraction of one cent, and any balance not so distributable shall be held by the Depositary (without liability for interest thereon) and shall be added to and be treated as part of the next sum received by the Depositary for distribution to record holders of Receipts then outstanding.

 

SECTION 4.02. Distributions Other Than Cash. Whenever the Depositary shall receive any distribution other than cash on the deposited Preferred Stock, the Depositary shall, subject to Section 3.02, distribute to record holders of Receipts on the record date fixed pursuant to Section 4.04 such amounts of the securities or property received by it as are, as nearly as practicable, in proportion to the respective numbers of Depositary Shares evidenced by the Receipts held by such holders, in any manner that the Depositary and the Company may deem equitable and practicable for accomplishing such distribution. If in the opinion of the Depositary after consultation with the Company, such distribution cannot be made proportionately among such record holders, or if for any other reason (including any requirement that the Company or the Depositary withhold an amount on account of taxes), the Depositary deems, after consultation with the Company, such distribution not to be feasible, the Depositary may, with the approval of the Company, adopt such method as it deems equitable and practicable for the purpose of effecting such distribution, including the sale (at public or private sale) of the securities or property thus received, or any part thereof at such place or places and upon such terms as it may deem proper. The net proceeds of any such sale shall, subject to Section 3.02, be distributed or made available for distribution, as the case may be, by the Depositary to record holders of Receipts as provided by Section 4.01 in the case of a distribution received in cash. The Company shall not make any distribution of such securities or property to the holders of Receipts unless the Company shall have provided to the Depositary an opinion of counsel stating that such securities or property have been registered under the Securities Act or do not need to be registered in order to be freely transferable.

 

SECTION 4.03. Subscription Rights, Preferences or Privileges. If the Company shall at any time offer or cause to be offered to the persons in whose names deposited Preferred Stock is registered on the books of the Company any rights, preferences or privileges to subscribe for or to purchase any securities or any rights, preferences or privileges of any other nature, the offering of such rights, preferences or privileges shall in each such instance be communicated to the Depositary and thereafter made available by the Depositary to the record holders of Receipts in such manner as the Company shall instruct (including by the issue to such record holders of warrants representing such rights, preferences or privileges); provided, however, that (a) if at the time of issue or offer of any such rights, preferences or privileges the Company determines upon advice of its legal counsel that it is not lawful or feasible to make such rights, preferences or privileges available to the holders of Receipts (by the issue of warrants or otherwise) or (b) if and to the extent instructed by holders of Receipts who do not desire to exercise such rights, preferences or privileges, the Depositary shall then, if so instructed by the Company, and if applicable laws or the terms of such rights, preferences or privileges so permit, sell such rights, preferences or privileges of such holders at public or private sale, at such place or places and upon such terms as it may deem proper. The net proceeds of any such sale shall, subject to Section 3.01 and Section 3.02, be distributed by the Depositary to the record holders of Receipts entitled thereto as provided by Section 4.01 in the case of a distribution received in cash. The Company shall not make any distribution of such rights, preferences or privileges, unless the Company shall have provided to the Depositary an opinion of counsel stating that such rights, preferences or privileges have been registered under the Securities Act or do not need to be registered in order to be freely transferable.

 

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If registration under the Securities Act of the securities to which any rights, preferences or privileges relate is required in order for holders of Receipts to be offered or sold the securities to which such rights, preferences or privileges relate, the Company agrees that it will promptly file a registration statement pursuant to the Securities Act with respect to such rights, preferences or privileges and securities and use its reasonable best efforts and take all steps available to it to cause such registration statement to become effective sufficiently in advance of the expiration of such rights, preferences or privileges to enable such holders to exercise such rights, preferences or privileges. In no event shall the Depositary make available to the holders of Receipts any right, preference or privilege to subscribe for or to purchase any securities unless and until such a registration statement shall have become effective or unless the offering and sale of such securities to such holders are exempt from registration under the provisions of the Securities Act and the Company shall have provided to the Depositary an opinion of counsel to such effect.

 

If any other action under the law of any jurisdiction or any governmental or administrative authorization, consent or permit is required in order for such rights, preferences or privileges to be made available to holders of Receipts, the Company agrees to use its reasonable best efforts to take such action or obtain such authorization, consent or permit sufficiently in advance of the expiration of such rights, preferences or privileges to enable such holders to exercise such rights, preferences or privileges.

 

SECTION 4.04. Notice of Distributions; Fixing of Record Date for Holders of Receipts. Whenever any dividend or other cash distributions shall become payable, any distribution other than cash shall be made, or any rights, preferences or privileges shall at any time be offered, with respect to the deposited Preferred Stock, or whenever the Depositary shall receive notice of (i) any meeting at which holders of such Preferred Stock are entitled to vote or of which holders of such Preferred Stock are entitled to notice or (ii) any election on the part of the Company to redeem any shares of such Preferred Stock, the Depositary shall in each such instance fix a record date (which shall be the same date as the record date, if any, fixed by the Company with respect to the Preferred Stock) for the determination of the holders of Receipts (a) who shall be entitled to receive such dividend, distribution, rights, preferences or privileges or the net proceeds of the sale thereof, (b) who shall be entitled to give instructions for the exercise of voting rights at any such meeting or to receive notice of such meeting or (c) whose Depositary Shares are to be so redeemed.

 

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SECTION 4.05. Voting Rights. Upon receipt of notice of any meeting at which the holders of deposited Preferred Stock are entitled to vote, the Depositary shall, as soon as practicable thereafter, mail to the record holders of Receipts a notice, which shall be provided by the Company and which shall contain (i) such information as is contained in such notice of meeting, (ii) a statement that the holders of Receipts at the close of business on a specified record date fixed pursuant to Section 4.04 will be entitled, subject to any applicable provision of law, to instruct the Depositary as to the exercise of the voting rights pertaining to the amount of Preferred Stock represented by their respective Depositary Shares and (iii) a brief statement as to the manner in which such instructions may be given. Upon the written request of a holder of a Receipt on such record date, the Depositary shall vote or cause to be voted the amount of Preferred Stock represented by the Depositary Shares evidenced by such Receipt in accordance with the instructions set forth in such request. To the extent any such instructions request the voting of a fractional interest of a share of deposited Preferred Stock, the Depositary shall aggregate such interest with all other fractional interests resulting from requests with the same voting instructions and shall vote the number of whole votes resulting from such aggregation in accordance with the instructions received in such requests. On such matters as the Preferred Stock is entitled, each share of Preferred Stock is entitled to one vote and, accordingly, each Depositary Share is entitled to 1/1000th of a vote. The Company hereby agrees to take all reasonable action that may be deemed necessary by the Depositary in order to enable the Depositary to vote such Preferred Stock or cause such Preferred Stock to be voted. In the absence of specific instructions from the holder of a Receipt, the Depositary will abstain from voting to the extent of the Preferred Stock represented by the Depositary Shares evidenced by such Receipt. The Depositary shall not be required to exercise discretion in voting any Preferred Stock represented by the Depositary Shares evidenced by such Receipt.

 

SECTION 4.06. Changes Affecting Preferred Stock and Reclassifications, Recapitalizations, etc. Upon any change in par or stated value, split-up, combination or any other reclassification of Preferred Stock, or upon any recapitalization, reorganization, merger, amalgamation or consolidation affecting the Company or to which it is a party or sale of all or substantially all of the Company’s assets, the Depositary shall, upon the instructions of the Company, (i) make such adjustments in (a) the fraction of an interest represented by one Depositary Share in one share of Preferred Stock and (b) the ratio of the redemption price per Depositary Share to the redemption price of a share of Preferred Stock, in each case as may be required by or as is consistent with the provisions of the Certificate of Designation to fully reflect the effects of such change in liquidation preference, split-up, combination or other reclassification of stock, or of such recapitalization, reorganization, merger, amalgamation, consolidation or sale and (ii) treat any shares of stock or other securities or property (including cash) that shall be received by the Depositary in exchange for or upon conversion of or in respect of the Preferred Stock as new deposited property under this Deposit Agreement, and Receipts then outstanding shall thenceforth represent the proportionate interests of holders thereof in the new deposited property so received in exchange for or upon conversion of or in respect of such Preferred Stock. In any such case the Depositary may, in its discretion, with the approval of the Company, execute and deliver additional Receipts, or may call for the surrender of all outstanding Receipts to be exchanged for new Receipts specifically describing such new deposited property. Anything to the contrary herein notwithstanding, but subject to Section 2.04, holders of Receipts shall have the right from and after the effective date of any such change in par or stated value, split-up, combination or other reclassification of the Preferred Stock or any such recapitalization, reorganization, merger, amalgamation or consolidation or sale of substantially all the assets of the Company to surrender such Receipts to the Depositary with instructions to convert, exchange or surrender the Preferred Stock represented thereby only into or for, as the case may be, the kind and amount of shares of stock and other securities and property and cash into which the deposited Preferred Stock evidenced by such Receipts might have been converted or for which such Preferred Stock might have been exchanged or surrendered immediately prior to the effective date of such transaction, subject to any subsequent change in par or stated value, split-up, combination or other reclassification or any subsequent recapitalization, reorganization, merger, amalgamation or consolidation or sale of substantially all the assets. The Company shall cause effective provision to be made in the charter of the resulting or surviving corporation (if other than the Company) for protection of such rights as may be applicable upon exchange of the deposited Preferred Stock for securities or property or cash of the surviving corporation in connection with the transactions set forth above. The Company shall cause any such surviving corporation (if other than the Company) expressly to assume the obligations of the Company hereunder.

 

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SECTION 4.07. Inspection of Reports. The Depositary shall make available for inspection by holders of Receipts at the Corporate Office and at such other places as it may from time to time deem advisable during normal business hours any reports and communications received from the Company that are both received by the Depositary as the holder of deposited Preferred Stock and made generally available to the holders of the Preferred Stock. In addition, the Depositary shall transmit certain notices and reports to the holders of Receipts as provided in Section 5.05.

 

SECTION 4.08. Lists of Receipt Holders. Promptly upon request from time to time by the Company, the Depositary shall furnish to the Company a list, as of a recent date specified by the Company, of the names, addresses and holdings of Depositary Shares of all persons in whose names Receipts are registered on the books of the Depositary.

 

SECTION 4.09. Tax and Regulatory Compliance. The Depositary shall be responsible for (i) preparing and mailing of IRS Forms 1099, 1042 and 1042-S for all open and closed accounts, (ii) all applicable withholding related to payments made with respect to the Receipts, including, without limitation, withholding required pursuant to Sections 1441, 1442, 1445 and 3406 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, (iii) mailing Form W-9, or W8-BEN, as appropriate, to new holders of Receipts without a certified taxpayer identification number or to non-US investors, (iv) processing certified Forms W-99 and W8-BEN, (v) preparing and filing of state information returns and (vi) providing escheatment services.

 

SECTION 4.10. Withholding. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Deposit Agreement to the contrary, in the event that the Depositary determines that any distribution in property is subject to any tax which the Depositary is obligated by applicable law to withhold, the Depositary may dispose of all or a portion of such property in such amounts and in such manner as the Depositary deems necessary and practicable to pay such taxes, by public or private sale, and the Depositary shall distribute the net proceeds of any such sale or the balance of any such property after deduction of such taxes to the holders of Receipts entitled thereto in proportion to the number of Depositary Shares held by them, respectively; provided, however, that in the event the Depositary determines that such distribution of property is subject to withholding tax only with respect to some but not all holders of Receipts, the Depositary will use its best efforts (i) to sell only that portion of such property distributable to such holders that is required to generate sufficient proceeds to pay such withholding tax and (ii) to effect any such sale in such a manner so as to avoid affecting the rights of any other holders of Receipts to receive such distribution in property.

 

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ARTICLE V

 

THE DEPOSITARY AND THE COMPANY

 

SECTION 5.01. Maintenance of Offices, Agencies and Transfer Books by the Depositary and the Registrar. The Depositary shall maintain at the Corporate Office facilities for the execution and delivery, transfer, surrender and exchange, split-up, combination and redemption of Receipts and deposit and withdrawal of Preferred Stock and at the offices of the Depositary’s Agents, if any, facilities for the delivery, transfer, surrender and exchange, split-up, combination and redemption of Receipts and deposit and withdrawal of Preferred Stock, all in accordance with the provisions of this Deposit Agreement.

 

The Depositary shall keep books at the Corporate Office for the registration and transfer of Receipts, which books at all reasonable times shall be open for inspection by the record holders of Receipts as provided by applicable law. The Depositary may close such books, at any time or from time to time, when deemed expedient by it in connection with the performance of its duties hereunder. The Depositary may maintain such books in customary electronic form.

 

If the Receipts or the Depositary Shares evidenced thereby or the Preferred Stock represented by such Depositary Shares shall be listed on the NASDAQ or any other stock exchange, or quoted on any interdealer quotation system, the Depositary may, with the approval of the Company, appoint a Registrar (acceptable to the Company) for registration of such Receipts or Depositary Shares in accordance with the requirements of such stock exchange or quotation system. Such Registrar (which may be the Depositary if so permitted by the requirements of such stock exchange or interdealer quotation system) may be removed and a substitute registrar appointed by the Depositary upon the request or with the approval of the Company. If the Receipts, such Depositary Shares or such Preferred Stock are listed on one or more other stock exchanges or quotation systems, the Depositary will, at the request and expense of the Company, arrange such facilities for the delivery, transfer, surrender, redemption and exchange of such Receipts, such Depositary Shares or such Preferred Stock as may be required by applicable law or applicable stock exchange or quotation system regulations.

 

SECTION 5.02. Prevention or Delay in Performance by the Depositary, the Depositary’s Agents, the Registrar or the Company. None of the Depositary, any Depositary’s Agent, any Registrar or the Company shall incur any liability to any holder of any Receipt, if by reason of any provision of any present or future law or regulation thereunder of the United States of America or of any other governmental authority or, in the case of the Depositary, the Depositary’s Agent or the Registrar, by reason of any provision, present or future, of the Articles of Incorporation or the Certificate of Designation or, in the case of the Company, the Depositary, the Depositary’s Agent or the Registrar, by reason of any act of God or war or other circumstance beyond the control of the relevant party, the Depositary, any Depositary’s Agent, the Registrar or the Company shall be prevented or forbidden from doing or performing any act or thing that the terms of this Deposit Agreement provide shall be done or performed; nor shall the Depositary, any Depositary’s Agent, any Registrar or the Company incur any liability to any holder of a Receipt by reason of any nonperformance or delay, caused as aforesaid, in the performance of any act or thing that the terms of this Deposit Agreement provide shall or may be done or performed, or by reason of any exercise of, or failure to exercise, any discretion provided for in this Deposit Agreement.

 

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SECTION 5.03. Obligations of the Depositary, the Depositary’s Agents, the Registrar and the Company. Each of the Depositary, any Depositary’s Agent and any Registrar shall at all times act in good faith and shall use its best efforts within reasonable time limits to insure the accuracy of all services performed pursuant to this Deposit Agreement. None of the Depositary, any Depositary’s Agent, any Registrar or the Company assumes any obligation or shall be subject to any liability under this Deposit Agreement or any Receipt to holders of Receipts other than from acts or omissions arising out of conduct constituting bad faith, gross negligence or willful misconduct in the performance of such duties as are specifically set forth in this Deposit Agreement.

 

None of the Depositary, any Depositary’s Agent, any Registrar or the Company shall be under any obligation to appear in, prosecute or defend any action, suit or other proceeding with respect to the deposited Preferred Stock, Depositary Shares or Receipts that in its reasonable opinion may involve it in expense or liability, unless indemnity reasonably satisfactory to it against all expense and liability be furnished as often as may be required.

 

None of the Depositary, any Depositary’s Agent, any Registrar or the Company shall be liable for any action or any failure to act by it in reliance upon the written advice of legal counsel or accountants, or information provided by any person presenting Preferred Stock for deposit, any holder of a Receipt or any other person believed by it in good faith to be competent to give such advice or information. The Depositary, any Depositary’s Agent, any Registrar and the Company may each rely and shall each be protected in acting upon any written notice, request, direction or other document believed by it in good faith to be genuine and to have been signed or presented by the proper party or parties.

 

In the event the Depositary shall receive conflicting claims, requests or instructions from any holders of Receipts, on the one hand, and the Company, on the other hand, the Depositary shall be entitled to act on such claims, requests or instructions received from the Company, and shall be entitled to the full indemnification set forth in Section 5.06 hereof in connection with any action so taken.

 

The Depositary shall not be responsible for any failure to carry out any instruction to vote any of the deposited Preferred Stock or for the manner or effect of any such vote made, as long as any such action or non-action is in good faith and does not result from negligence or willful misconduct of the Depositary. The Depositary undertakes, and any Registrar shall be required to undertake, to perform such duties and only such duties as are specifically set forth in this Deposit Agreement, and no implied covenants or obligations shall be read into this Deposit Agreement against the Depositary or any Registrar.

 

The Depositary, its parent, affiliate, or subsidiaries, any Depositary’s Agent, and any Registrar may own, buy, sell or deal in any class of securities of the Company and its affiliates and in Receipts or Depositary Shares or become pecuniarily interested in any transaction in which the Company or its affiliates may be interested or contract with or lend money to or otherwise act as fully or as freely as if it were not the Depositary or the Depositary’s Agent hereunder. The Depositary may also act as transfer agent or registrar of any of the securities of the Company and its affiliates or act in any other capacity for the Company or its affiliates.

 

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It is intended that neither the Depositary nor any Depositary’s Agent shall be deemed to be an “issuer” of the securities under the federal securities laws or applicable state securities laws, it being expressly understood and agreed that the Depositary and any Depositary’s Agent are acting only in a ministerial capacity as Depositary for the deposited Preferred Stock; provided, however, that the Depositary agrees to comply with all information reporting and withholding requirements applicable to it under law or this Deposit Agreement in its capacity as Depositary.

 

Neither the Depositary (or its officers, directors, employees or agents) nor any Depositary’s Agent makes any representation or has any responsibility as to the validity of the registration statement pursuant to which the Depositary Shares are registered under the Securities Act, the deposited Preferred Stock, the Depositary Shares, the Receipts (except its countersignature thereon) or any instruments referred to therein or herein, or as to the correctness of any statement made therein or herein; provided, however, that the Depositary is responsible for its representations in this Deposit Agreement and for the validity of any action taken or required to be taken by the Depositary in connection with this Deposit Agreement.

 

The Company represents that it has registered the deposited Preferred Stock and the Depositary Shares for sale in accordance with applicable securities laws.

 

SECTION 5.04. Resignation and Removal of the Depositary; Appointment of Successor Depositary. The Depositary may at any time resign as Depositary hereunder by delivering to the Company notice of its election to do so, such resignation to take effect upon the appointment of a successor depositary and its acceptance of such appointment as hereinafter provided.

 

The Depositary may at any time be removed by the Company by notice of such removal delivered to the Depositary, such removal to take effect upon the appointment of a successor depositary and its acceptance of such appointment as hereinafter provided.

 

In case at any time the Depositary acting hereunder shall resign or be removed, the Company shall, within 60 days after the delivery of the notice of resignation or removal, as the case may be, appoint a successor depositary, which shall be a bank or trust company having its principal office in the United States of America and having a combined capital and surplus of at least $50,000,000. If a successor depositary shall not have been appointed in 60 days, the resigning Depositary may petition a court of competent jurisdiction to appoint a successor depositary. Every successor depositary shall execute and deliver to its predecessor and to the Company an instrument in writing accepting its appointment hereunder, and thereupon such successor depositary, without any further act or deed, shall become fully vested with all the rights, powers, duties and obligations of its predecessor and for all purposes shall be the Depositary under this Deposit Agreement, and such predecessor, upon payment of all sums due it and on the written request of the Company, shall promptly execute and deliver an instrument transferring to such successor all rights and powers of such predecessor hereunder, shall duly assign, transfer and deliver all rights, title and interest in the deposited Preferred Stock and any moneys or property held hereunder to such successor and shall deliver to such successor a list of the record holders of all outstanding Receipts. Any successor depositary shall promptly mail notice of its appointment to the record holders of Receipts.

 

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Any corporation into or with which the Depositary may be merged, consolidated or converted shall be the successor of such Depositary without the execution or filing of any document or any further act. Such successor depositary may execute the Receipts either in the name of the predecessor depositary or in the name of the successor depositary.

 

SECTION 5.05. Notices, Reports and Documents. The Company agrees that it will deliver to the Depositary, and the Depositary will, promptly after receipt thereof transmit to the record holders of Receipts, in each case at the address recorded in the Depositary’s books, copies of all notices and reports (including financial statements) required by law, by the rules of any national securities exchange or interdealer quotation system upon which the Preferred Stock, the Depositary Shares or the Receipts are listed or quoted or by the Articles of Incorporation and the Certificate of Designation to be furnished by the Company to holders of the deposited Preferred Stock and, if requested by the holder of any Receipt, a copy of this Deposit Agreement, the form of Receipt, the Certificate of Designation and the form of Preferred Stock. Such transmission will be at the Company’s expense and the Company will provide the Depositary with such number of copies of such documents as the Depositary may reasonably request. In addition, the Depositary will transmit to the record holders of Receipts at the Company’s expense such other documents as may be requested by the Company.

 

SECTION 5.06. Indemnification by the Company. The Company agrees to indemnify the Depositary, any Depositary’s Agent and any Registrar against, and hold each of them harmless from, any liability, costs and expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees) that may arise out of, or in connection with, its acting as Depositary, Depositary’s Agent or Registrar, respectively, under this Deposit Agreement and the Receipts, except for any liability arising out of the willful misconduct, gross negligence, or bad faith on the part of any such person or persons. The obligations of the Company set forth in this Section 5.06 shall survive any succession of any Depositary, Registrar or Depositary’s Agent or termination of this Deposit Agreement.

 

SECTION 5.07. Indemnification by the Depositary. The Depositary agrees to indemnify the Company against, and hold the Company harmless from, any liability, costs and expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees) that may arise out of, or in connection with, the refusal or failure of any of the Depositary, any Depositary’s Agent or the Registrar to comply with the terms of this Deposit Agreement, or which arise out of the willful misconduct, gross negligence, or bad faith on the part of any such person or persons; provided, however, that the Depositary’s aggregate liability hereunder with respect to, arising from, or arising in connection with this Deposit Agreement, or from all services provided or omitted to be provided under this Deposit Agreement, whether in contract, or in tort, or otherwise, is limited to, and shall not exceed, the amounts paid hereunder by the Company to the Depositary as fees and charges under this Deposit Agreement or otherwise, but not including reimbursable expenses, during the six (6) calendar months immediately preceding the event for which recovery from the Depositary is being sought. The obligations of the Depositary set forth in this Section 5.07 shall survive any succession of the Company or termination of this Deposit Agreement.

 

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SECTION 5.08. Damages. The Depositary shall not be liable for any incidental, indirect, special or consequential damages of any nature whatsoever, including, but not limited to, loss of anticipated profits (collectively, “Special Damages”), occasioned by breach of any provision of this Deposit Agreement by the Depositary even if apprised of the possibility of such damages. The Company shall not be liable to the Depositary for Special Damages occasioned by breach of any provision of this Deposit Agreement by the Company even if apprised of the possibility of such damages.

 

SECTION 5.09. Fees, Charges and Expenses. No charges and expenses of the Depositary or any Depositary’s Agent hereunder shall be payable by any person, except as provided in this Section 5.09. The Company shall pay all transfer and other taxes and governmental charges arising solely from the existence of this Deposit Agreement. The Company shall also pay all fees and expenses of the Depositary in connection with the initial deposit of the Preferred Stock and the initial issuance of the Depositary Shares evidenced by the Receipts, any redemption of the Preferred Stock at the option of the Company and all withdrawals of the Preferred Stock by holders of Receipts. If a holder of Receipts requests the Depositary to perform duties not required under this Deposit Agreement, the Depositary shall notify the holder of the cost of the performance of such duties prior to the performance thereof. Upon approval of such cost by such holder, such holder will thereafter be liable for the charges and expenses related to such performance. All other fees and expenses of the Depositary and any Depositary’s Agent hereunder and of any Registrar (including, in each case, fees and expenses of counsel) incident to the performance of their respective obligations hereunder will be promptly paid by the Company pursuant to such terms as the Company and the Depositary shall agree in good faith. The Depositary shall present its statement for fees and expenses to the Company every month or at such other intervals as the Company and the Depositary may agree.

 

ARTICLE VI

 

AMENDMENT AND TERMINATION

 

SECTION 6.01. Amendment. The form of the Receipts and any provision of this Deposit Agreement may at any time and from time to time be amended by agreement between the Company and the Depositary in any respect that they may deem necessary or desirable; provided, however, that no such amendment (other than any change in the fees of any Depositary, Registrar or Transfer Agent that are payable by the Company) which (i) shall materially and adversely alter the rights of the holders of Receipts or (ii) would be materially and adversely inconsistent with the rights granted to the holders of the Preferred Stock pursuant to the Certificate of Designation shall be effective unless such amendment shall have been approved by the holders of Receipts evidencing at least 66-2/3% of the Depositary Shares then outstanding. In no event shall any amendment impair the right, subject to the provisions of Section 2.07 and Section 2.08 and Article III, of any holder of any Depositary Shares to surrender the Receipt evidencing such Depositary Shares with instructions to the Depositary to deliver to the holder the deposited Preferred Stock and all money and other property if any, represented thereby, except in order to comply with mandatory provisions of applicable law. Every holder of an outstanding Receipt at the time any such amendment becomes effective shall be deemed, by continuing to hold such Receipt, to consent and agree to such amendment and to be bound by this Deposit Agreement as amended thereby.

 

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SECTION 6.02. Termination. This Deposit Agreement may be terminated by the Company upon not less than 30 days’ prior written notice to the Depositary if (i) such termination is necessary to preserve the Company’s status as a real estate investment trust under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (or any successor provision), or (ii) the holders of Receipts evidencing at least a majority of the Depositary Shares then outstanding consent to such termination, whereupon the Depositary shall deliver or make available to each holder of a Receipt, upon surrender of the Receipt held by such holder, such number of whole or fractional shares of deposited Preferred Stock as are represented by the Depositary Shares evidenced by such Depositary Receipt, together with any other property held by the Depositary in respect of such Receipt. In the event that this Deposit Agreement is terminated pursuant to clause (i) of the immediately preceding sentence, the Company hereby agrees to use its reasonable best efforts to list or quote the Preferred Stock issued upon surrender of the Receipt evidencing the Depositary Shares represented thereby on a national securities exchange or interdealer quotation system. This Deposit Agreement will automatically terminate if (i) all outstanding Depositary Shares shall have been redeemed pursuant to Section 2.03 or (ii) there shall have been made a final distribution in respect of the deposited Preferred Stock in connection with any liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Company and such distribution shall have been distributed to the holders of Receipts entitled thereto.

 

Upon the termination of this Deposit Agreement, (i) the Company shall be discharged from all obligations under this Deposit Agreement except for its obligations to the Depositary, any Depositary’s Agent and any Registrar under Section 5.06 and Section 5.09 and (ii) the Depositary shall be discharged from all obligations under this Deposit Agreement except for its obligations to the Company under Section 5.07.

 

ARTICLE VII

 

MISCELLANEOUS

 

SECTION 7.01. Counterparts. This Deposit Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, and by each of the parties hereto on separate counterparts, each of which counterparts, when so executed and delivered, shall be deemed an original, but all such counterparts taken together shall constitute one and the same instrument. Delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature page to this Deposit Agreement by telecopier shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart of this Deposit Agreement. Copies of this Deposit Agreement shall be filed with the Depositary and the Depositary’s Agents and shall be open to inspection during business hours at the Corporate Office and the respective offices of time Depositary’s Agents, if any, by any holder of a Receipt.

 

SECTION 7.02. Exclusive Benefits of Parties. This Deposit Agreement is for the exclusive benefit of the parties hereto, and their respective successors hereunder, and shall not be deemed to give any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim to any other person whatsoever.

 

SECTION 7.03. Invalidity of Provisions. In case any one or more of the provisions contained in this Deposit Agreement or in the Receipts should be or become invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any respect, the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions contained herein or therein shall in no way be affected, prejudiced or disturbed thereby.

 

22

 

 

SECTION 7.04. Notices. Any and all notices to be given to the Company hereunder or under the Receipts shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given if personally delivered or sent by mail, or by telegram or facsimile transmission confirmed by letter, addressed to the Company at:

 

B. Riley Financial, Inc.

21255 Burbank Blvd, Suite 400

Woodland Hills, California 91367

Attention: Chief Financial Officer

Telephone No.: (818) 884-3737

 

or at any other address of which the Company shall have notified the Depositary in writing.

 

Any notices to be given to the Depositary hereunder or under the Receipts shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given if personally delivered or sent by certified or registered mail or nationally recognized overnight carrier, addressed to the Depositary at the Corporate Office to the attention of the General Counsel.

 

Any notices given to any record holder of a Receipt hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given if personally delivered or sent by mail or overnight carrier, addressed to such record holder at the address of such record holder as it appears on the books of the Depositary or, if such holder shall have filed with the Depositary in a timely manner a written request that notices intended for such holder be mailed to some other address, at the address designated in such request.

 

Delivery of a notice sent by mail or overnight carrier shall be deemed to be effected at the time when a duly addressed letter containing the same is deposited, postage prepaid, in a post office letter box or overnight carrier’s box.

 

SECTION 7.05. Depositary’s Agents. The Depositary may from time to time appoint Depositary’s Agents to act in any respect for the Depositary for the purposes of this Deposit Agreement and may at any time appoint additional Depositary’s Agents and vary or terminate the appointment of such Depositary’s Agents. The Depositary will notify the Company of any such action.

 

SECTION 7.06. Holders of Receipts Are Parties. The holders of Receipts from time to time shall be deemed to be parties to this Deposit Agreement and shall be bound by all of the terms and conditions hereof and of the Receipts by acceptance of delivery thereof.

 

SECTION 7.07. Governing Law. This Deposit Agreement and the Receipts and all rights hereunder and thereunder and provisions hereof and thereof shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the law of the State of Delaware applicable to agreements made and to be performed in said State.

 

SECTION 7.08. Inspection of Deposit Agreement and Certificate of Designation. Copies of this Deposit Agreement and the Certificate of Designation shall be filed with the Depositary and the Depositary’s Agents and shall be open to inspection during business hours at the Corporate Office and the respective offices of the Depositary’s Agents, if any, by any holder of any Receipt.

 

SECTION 7.09. Headings. The headings of articles and sections in this Deposit Agreement and in the form of the Receipt set forth in Exhibit A hereto have been inserted for convenience only and are not to be regarded as a part of this Deposit Agreement or to have any bearing upon the meaning or interpretation of any provision contained herein or in the Receipts.

 

[SIGNATURE PAGE FOLLOWS]

 

23

 

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, B. Riley Financial, Inc. and Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company have caused this Deposit Agreement to be duly executed on their behalf as of the date first set forth above and all holders of Receipts shall become parties hereto by and upon acceptance by them of delivery of Receipts issued in accordance with the terms hereof.

 

  B. RILEY FINANCIAL, INC.
     
  By:

/s/ Phillip J. Ahn

  Name:  Phillip J. Ahn
  Title: Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer
   
  CONTINENTAL STOCK TRANSFER & TRUST COMPANY
                                  
  By:

/s/ Henry Farrell

  Name: Henry Farrell
  Title: Vice President

 

[Signature Page to Deposit Agreement]

 

24

 

 

Exhibit A

 

Form of Receipt

 

CUSIP 05880M 876

 

B. RILEY FINANCIAL, INC.

 

RECEIPT FOR DEPOSITARY SHARES

 

EACH REPRESENTING 1/1000TH OF A SHARE OF

 

6.875% SERIES A CUMULATIVE

PERPETUAL PREFERRED STOCK

 

(LIQUIDATION PREFERENCE $25,000 PER SHARE)

 

Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, as Depositary (the “Depositary”), hereby certifies that Cede & Co. is the registered owner of Depositary Shares (“Depositary Shares”), each Depositary Share representing 1/1000th of an ownership interest in a share of 6.875% Series A Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock, liquidation preference of $25,000 per share, of B. Riley Financial, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), on deposit with the Depositary, subject to the terms and entitled to the benefits of the Deposit Agreement dated October 7, 2019 (the “Deposit Agreement”), among the Company, the Depositary, and the holders from time to time of Receipts for Depositary Shares (“Depositary Share Receipts”). By accepting this Depositary Share Receipts, the holder hereof becomes a party to and agrees to be bound by all the terms and conditions of the Deposit Agreement. This Depositary Share Receipts shall not be valid or obligatory for any purpose or entitled to any benefits under the Deposit Agreement unless it shall have been executed by the Depositary by the manual or facsimile signature of a duly authorized officer and, if a Registrar in respect of the Depositary Share Receipts (other than the Depositary) shall have been appointed, by the manual signature of a duly authorized officer of such Registrar.

 

Dated: October 7, 2019

 

  Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, as Depositary and Registrar
     
  By:          
    Authorized Signatory

 

25

 

 

[REVERSE OF RECEIPT]

 

The following abbreviations when used in the inscription on the face of this Receipt shall be construed as though they were written out in full according to applicable laws or regulations.

 

TEN COM   –     as tenants in common
     
TEN ENT   –     as tenants by the entireties
     
JT TEN   –     as joint tenants with rights of survivorship and not as tenants in common
         
UNIF GIFT MIN ACT   –    
 
  Custodian  
 
        (Cust)       (Minor)
     
        under Uniform Gift to Minors Act
     
       
 
        (State)

 

Additional abbreviations may also be used though not in the above list.

 

 

ASSIGNMENT

    

For Value Received, the undersigned hereby sells, assigns  and transfers unto                                                                                                                 

 

PLEASE INSERT SOCIAL SECURITY OR

OTHER IDENTIFYING NUMBER OF ASSIGNEE

 
 

 

(PLEASE PRINT OR TYPEWRITE NAME AND ADDRESS,

INCLUDING ZIP CODE OF ASSIGNEE)

 
 

 

                          Depositary Shares represented by the within Receipt, and do hereby irrevocably constitute and appoint                          Attorney to transfer the said Depositary Shares on the books of the within named Depositary with full power of substitution in the premises.

 

Dated:                                          

 

NOTICE: THE SIGNATURE TO THE ASSIGNMENT MUST CORRESPOND WITH THE NAME AS WRITTEN UPON THE FACE OF THIS RECEIPT IN EVERY PARTICULAR, WITHOUT ALTERATION OR ENLARGEMENT OR ANY CHANGE WHATEVER.

 

Signature(s) Guaranteed:                                              

 

THE SIGNATURE(S) SHOULD BE GUARANTEED BY AN ELIGIBLE GUARANTOR INSTITUTION (BANKS, STOCKBROKERS, SAVINGS AND LOAN ASSOCIATIONS AND CREDIT UNIONS WITH MEMBERSHIP IN AN APPROVED SIGNATURE GUARANTEE MEDALLION PROGRAM), PURSUANT TO RULE 17Ad-15 UNDER THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934.

 

 

26

 

Exhibit 4.2

 

THIS CERTIFICATE IS IN GLOBAL FORM AND IS REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF CONTINENTAL STOCK TRANSFER & TRUST COMPANY AS DEPOSITARY (THE “DEPOSITARY”), PURSUANT TO A DEPOSIT AGREEMENT AMONG B. RILEY FINANCIAL, INC., ISSUER, AND CONTINENTAL STOCK TRANSFER & TRUST COMPANY AS DEPOSITARY, TRANSFER AGENT AND REGISTRAR.

 

UNLESS THIS CERTIFICATE IS PRESENTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DEPOSITARY TO THE CORPORATION OR THE TRANSFER AGENT, AND ANY CERTIFICATE ISSUED IS REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF THE DEPOSITARY OR IN SUCH OTHER NAME AS IS REQUESTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DEPOSITARY (AND ANY PAYMENT IS MADE TO THE DEPOSITARY OR TO SUCH OTHER ENTITY AS IS REQUESTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DEPOSITARY), ANY TRANSFER, PLEDGE OR OTHER USE HEREOF FOR VALUE OR OTHERWISE BY OR TO ANY PERSON IS WRONGFUL INASMUCH AS THE REGISTERED OWNER HEREOF, CONTIENTAL STOCK TRANSFER & TRUST COMPANY AS DEPOSITARY HAS AN INTEREST HEREIN.

 

**SPECIMEN**

B. RILEY FINANCIAL, INC.

 

Incorporated under the laws of

the State of Delaware

 

         

NUMBER: 1

CUSIP: 05580M 876

  6.875% SERIES A CUMULATIVE PERPETUAL
PREFERRED STOCK
 

SHARES:

    

($25,000 LIQUIDATION

PREFERENCE)

 

This is to certify that Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, as Depositary is the registered owner of two thousand (2,000) fully paid and non-assessable shares of 6.875% Cumulative Series A Perpetual Preferred Stock, $0.0001 par value, liquidation preference of $25,000 per share (the “Series A Preferred Stock”), of B. Riley Financial, a Delaware corporation (the “Corporation”), transferable on the books of the Corporation by the holder hereof, in person or by duly authorized attorney, upon surrender of this Certificate properly endorsed. This Certificate is not valid unless countersigned and registered by the Transfer Agent and Registrar.

 

Witness the signatures of the Corporation’s duly authorized officers.

           
Dated:       B. RILEY FINANCIAL, INC.
       
        By:       
         

Name:

Bryant Riley

          Title: Co-Chief Executive Officer
           
Countersigned and registered:          
     

Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, as Transfer

Agent and Registrar

  By:     
          Name: Phillip J. Ahn
By:         Title: Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer
  Authorized Officer          

 

 

 

 

(REVERSE OF CERTIFICATE)

 

B. RILEY FINANCIAL, INC.

 

The Corporation will furnish without charge, within 5 days after receipt of written request therefor, to each stockholder who so requests the powers, designations, preferences and relative participating, optional or special rights of each class of stock or series thereof of the Corporation and the qualifications, limitations or restrictions of such preferences and/or rights. Such request should be addressed to the Corporation or the Transfer Agent.

 

The Corporation may redeem the Series A Preferred Stock at its option in whole or in part, at any time, or from time to time, on any dividend payment date on or after October 7, 2024. In addition, the Corporation has a special optional redemption in connection with a delisting event or change of control. There will be no sinking fund for the redemption or purchase of the Series A Preferred Stock. No holder of the Series A Preferred Stock will have the right to require the redemption of the Series A Preferred Stock.

 

 

 

The following abbreviations, when used in the inscription on the face of this certificate, shall be construed as though they were written out in full according to applicable laws or regulations:

 

                 
TEN COM   –       as tenants in common
     
TEN ENT   –       as tenants by the entireties
     
JT TEN   –       as joint tenants with rights of survivorship and not as tenants in common
         
UNIF GIFT MIN ACT   –           Custodian    
         
        (Cust)       (Minor)
     
        under Uniform Gift to Minors Act
     
         
        (State)

 

Additional abbreviations may also be used though not in the above list.

 

For Value Received, the undersigned hereby sells, assigns and  transfers unto        

 

PLEASE INSERT SOCIAL SECURITY OR

OTHER IDENTIFYING NUMBER OF ASSIGNEE

 
 

 

(PLEASE PRINT OR TYPEWRITE NAME AND ADDRESS,

INCLUDING ZIP CODE OF ASSIGNEE)

 
 

 

                     shares of the capital stock represented by the within Certificate, and do hereby irrevocably constitute and appoint                          Attorney to transfer the said stock on the books of the within named Corporation with full power of substitution in the premises.

 

Dated:                                          

 

NOTICE: THE SIGNATURE TO THE ASSIGNMENT MUST CORRESPOND WITH THE NAME AS WRITTEN UPON THE FACE OF THE CERTIFICATE IN EVERY PARTICULAR, WITHOUT ALTERATION OR ENLARGEMENT OR ANY CHANGE WHATEVER

 

Signature(s) Guaranteed:                                              

 

THE SIGNATURE(S) SHOULD BE GUARANTEED BY AN ELIGIBLE GUARANTOR INSTITUTION (BANKS, STOCKBROKERS, SAVINGS AND LOAN ASSOCIATIONS AND CREDIT UNIONS WITH MEMBERSHIP IN AN APPROVED SIGNATURE GUARANTEE MEDALLION PROGRAM), PURSUANT TO RULE 17Ad-15 UNDER THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934.

 

 

 

 

Exhibit 5.1

 

theNBDgroup.

A California Professional Corporation

Los Angeles and Palo Alto

https://nbdpro.co/

(408) 201-2662

 

October 7, 2019

 

B. Riley Financial, Inc.

21255 Burbank Blvd., Suite 400
Woodland Hills, California 91367

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

We have acted as counsel to B. Riley Financial, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), in connection with the offering and sale of 2,000,000 depositary shares (the “Depositary Shares”), representing an aggregate of 2,000 shares (the “Preferred Shares”) of the Company’s 6.875% Series A Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock, $0.0001 par value, with a liquidation preference of $25,000 per Preferred Share (or $25.00 per Depositary Share), under the Registration Statement (as defined below), pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement, dated October 2, 2019 (the “Underwriting Agreement”), by and among the Company and B. Riley FBR, Inc. as representatives of the several underwriters named in Schedule A thereto. Each Depositary Share represents a 1/1,000th interest in a Preferred Share. The Preferred Shares and the Depositary Shares are collectively referred to herein as the “Securities.” This opinion is furnished to you in connection with the shelf registration statement on Form S-3 (Registration No. 333-233907), initially filed by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) on September 23, 2019, and declared effective by the Commission on September 30, 2019 (the “Registration Statement”), in accordance with the provisions of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder (collectively, the “Act”).

 

The Preferred Shares are to be deposited with Continental Stock Transfer and Trust Company, acting as depositary (the “Depositary”), pursuant to the Deposit Agreement dated October 7, 2019 (the “Deposit Agreement”), among the Company, the Depositary and the holders from time to time of receipts issued under the Deposit Agreement to evidence the Depositary Shares.

 

In connection with this opinion, we have examined originals, copies or forms of: (i) the Registration Statement; (ii) the prospectus, dated September 30, 2019 (the “Base Prospectus”), which forms a part of the Registration Statement; (iii) the preliminary prospectus supplement, dated October 2, 2019, relating to the offering of the Securities (together with the Base Prospectus, the “Preliminary Prospectus”); (iv) the prospectus supplement, dated October 2, 2019, in the form filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Act (the Base Prospectus, together with the Preliminary Prospectus and the documents incorporated and deemed to be incorporated by reference therein, herein collectively referred to as the “Prospectus”); (v) the executed Underwriting Agreement; (vi) an executed copy of the Deposit Agreement; (vii) an executed certificate evidencing 2,000 Preferred Shares registered in the name of the Depositary; (viii) a form of depositary receipt registered in the name of Cede & Co., relating to 2,000,000 Depositary Shares (the “Receipt”); (ix) the Certificate of Designation of 6.875% Series A Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock of the Company, as filed on October 4, 2019 with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware; (x) a copy of the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Company, as amended to the date hereof and currently in effect, as certified by the Secretary of the State of Delaware; (xi) a copy of the By-laws of the Company, as currently in effect, as certified by the Secretary of the Company; and (xii) certain resolutions of the Board of Directors of the Company, approved on October 1, 2019, and certain resolutions of the Pricing Committee thereof, approved on October 2, 2019, as certified by the Secretary of the Company. In addition, we have examined such records, documents, certificates of public officials and of the Company, made such inquiries of officers of the Company, and considered such questions of law as we have deemed necessary for the purpose of rendering the opinions set forth herein.

 

 

 

 

In our examination, we have assumed the genuineness of all signatures and the authenticity of all items submitted to us as originals and the conformity with originals of all items submitted to us as copies. In making our examination of documents executed by parties other than the Company, we have assumed that each other party has the power and authority to execute and deliver, and to perform and observe the provisions of, such documents, and the due authorization thereof by each such other party of all requisite action and the due execution and delivery of such documents by each such other party, and that such documents constitute the legal, valid and binding obligations of each such other party enforceable against such party in accordance with their terms.

 

In addition, we have assumed that the issuance and sale of the Securities and that the execution and delivery by the Company of, and the performance of its obligations under, the Deposit Agreement and the Securities do not violate, conflict with or constitute a default under (i) any agreement or instrument to which the Company or any of its properties is subject, (ii) any law, rule, or regulation to which the Company or any of its properties is subject, (iii) any judicial or regulatory order or decree of any governmental authority or (iv) any consent, approval, license, authorization or validation of, or filing, recordation or registration with, any governmental authority.

 

Our opinions set forth herein are limited to (i) the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware and (ii) the laws of the State of New York that, in our experience, are normally applicable to the Securities and, to the extent that judicial or regulatory orders or decrees or consents, approvals, licenses, authorizations, validations, filings, recordings or registrations with governmental authorities are relevant, to those required under such laws (all of the foregoing being referred to as “Opined on Law”). We do not express any opinion as to any non-Opined on Law on the opinions herein stated.

 

Based upon and subject to the limitations, qualifications, exceptions and assumptions set forth herein, we are of the opinion that:

 

1. The Preferred Shares have been duly authorized and validly issued and are fully paid and nonassessable.

 

2

 

 

2. The Receipt, when issued against the deposit of underlying Preferred Shares by the Company in respect thereof in accordance with the terms of the Deposit Agreement, will be legally issued and will entitle the holder thereof to the rights specified in such Receipt and in the Deposit Agreement.

 

We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as exhibit 5.1 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K, being filed on the date hereof, and incorporated by reference into the Registration Statement. We also hereby consent to the use of our name under the heading “Legal Matters” in the Prospectus. In giving such consent, we do not hereby admit that we are acting within the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Act or the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder. This opinion is expressed as of the date hereof unless otherwise expressly stated, and we disclaim any undertaking to advise you of any subsequent changes in the facts stated or assumed herein or of any subsequent changes in applicable laws.

 

Very truly yours,  
   
/s/ The NBD Group, Inc.  

 

 

3

 

Exhibit 99.1

 

B. Riley Financial Prices $50 Million Offering of Depositary Shares

 

Depositary Shares Represent an Interest in 6.875% Series A Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock

 

LOS ANGELES — October 2, 2019 — B. Riley Financial, Inc. (NASDAQ: RILY) (“B. Riley” or the “Company”) today announced the pricing of its underwritten registered public offering of 2,000,000 depositary shares at an initial public offering price of $25.00 per depositary share, raising gross proceeds of $50 million before deducting underwriting discounts and other estimated offering expenses. Each depositary share represents a 1/1000th fractional interest in a share of the Company’s 6.875% Series A Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock. Dividends on the Series A Preferred Stock underlying the depositary shares will be paid when declared by the Board at a fixed rate of 6.875% with a liquidation preference equivalent to $25.00 per depositary share.

 

In connection with the offering, the Company has granted the underwriters a 30-day option to purchase up to an additional $7.5 million of depositary shares solely to cover overallotments. The offering is expected to close on or about October 7, 2019, subject to customary closing conditions.

 

The Company’s depositary shares are expected to begin trading on NASDAQ under the symbol “RILYP” within 30 business days of the closing date of this offering, if approved.

 

Net proceeds of this offering will be used for general corporate purposes, including funding future acquisitions and investments, repaying indebtedness, making capital expenditures and funding working capital.

 

B. Riley FBR, Incapital, Janney Montgomery Scott and Ladenburg Thalmann are acting as book-running managers for this offering. Wedbush Securities, William Blair and Boenning & Scattergood are acting as co-managers.

 

The depositary shares will be offered under the Company’s shelf registration statement on Form S-3, which was declared effective by the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). The offering of these depositary shares will be made only by means of a prospectus supplement and accompanying base prospectus, which will be filed with the SEC.

 

Copies of the prospectus supplement and the accompanying base prospectus may be obtained on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov, or from the offices of B. Riley FBR at 1300 North 17th Street, Suite 1400, Arlington, VA 22209 or by calling (703) 312-9580 or by emailing prospectuses@brileyfbr.com.

 

This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy the depositary shares, nor shall there be any sale of the depositary shares in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would not be permitted.

 

About B. Riley Financial (NASDAQ:RILY)

 

B. Riley Financial provides collaborative financial services tailored to fit the capital raising and business advisory needs of public and private companies and high-net-worth individuals. B. Riley operates through several wholly-owned subsidiaries which offer complementary end-to-end capabilities spanning investment banking and institutional brokerage, private wealth and investment management, corporate advisory, restructuring, due diligence, forensic accounting and litigation support, appraisal and valuation, and auction and liquidation services. Certain registered affiliates of B. Riley originate and underwrite senior secured loans for asset-rich companies. The Company also makes proprietary investments in companies and assets with attractive return profiles.

 

 

 

 

Forward-Looking Statements

 

Statements in this press release that are not descriptions of historical facts are forward-looking statements that are based on management’s current expectations and assumptions and are subject to risks and uncertainties. If such risks or uncertainties materialize or such assumptions prove incorrect, our business, operating results, financial condition and stock price could be materially negatively affected. You should not place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements, which are based on the information currently available to us and speak only as of the date of this press release. Such forward looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the terms and conditions and timing of the preferred stock offering and the intended use of proceeds. Because these forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties, there are important factors that could cause actual results, events or developments to differ materially from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ include (without limitation) the possibility that the preferred stock offering will not be consummated at the expected time, on the expected terms, or at all; and the Company’s financial performance; and those risks described from time to time in B. Riley Financial’s periodic filings with the SEC, including, without limitation, the risks described in B. Riley Financial’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2018 under the captions “Risk Factors” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.” Additional information is also set forth in our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2019. These factors should be considered carefully, and readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements. All information is current as of the date this press release is issued, and B. Riley Financial undertakes no duty to update this information.

 

Investor Contact

Investor Relations

ir@brileyfin.com

(310) 966-1444

 

Media Contact

Jo Anne McCusker

jmccusker@brileyfin.com

(646) 885-5425

 

 

 

 

Exhibit 99.2

 

B. Riley Financial Closes Depositary Shares Offering

 

Depositary Shares Represent an Interest in 6.875% Series A Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock

 

LOS ANGELES — October 7, 2019 — B. Riley Financial, Inc. (NASDAQ: RILY) (“B. Riley” or the “Company”) today announced the closing of its previously announced underwritten registered public offering of 2,000,000 depositary shares, each representing a 1/1000th fractional interest in a share of the Company’s 6.875% Series A Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock, with a liquidation preference of $25.00 per depositary share. The offering resulted in net proceeds of approximately $48.4 million after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions, but before expenses. The Company expects to use the net proceeds of this offering for general corporate purposes, including funding future acquisitions and investments, repaying indebtedness, making capital expenditures and funding working capital.

 

The underwriters have a 30-day option to purchase up to an additional 300,000 depositary shares to cover over-allotments, if any, at the public offering price of $25.00 per depositary share. Dividends on the Series A Preferred Stock underlying the depositary shares will be paid when declared by the Board at a fixed rate of 6.875% with a liquidation preference equivalent to $25.00 per depositary share. The depositary shares will be listed on NASDAQ under the symbol “RILYP” and are expected to begin trading within 30 business days.

 

Book-running managers for this offering are B. Riley FBR, Incapital, Janney Montgomery Scott and Ladenburg Thalmann. Co-managers are Wedbush Securities, William Blair and Boenning & Scattergood.

 

The NBD Group acted as legal counsel to the Company. Duane Morris acted as legal counsel to the underwriters.

 

The depositary shares were offered under the Company’s shelf registration statement on Form S-3, which was declared effective by the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). The offering of these depositary shares was made only by means of a prospectus supplement and accompanying base prospectus, which were filed with the SEC.

 

Copies of the prospectus supplement and the accompanying base prospectus may be obtained on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov, or from the offices of B. Riley FBR at 1300 North 17th Street, Suite 1400, Arlington, VA 22209 or by calling (703) 312-9580 or by emailing prospectuses@brileyfbr.com.

 

This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy the depositary shares, nor shall there be any sale of the depositary shares in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would not be permitted.

 

About B. Riley Financial, Inc. (NASDAQ:RILY)

 

B. Riley Financial provides collaborative financial services tailored to fit the capital raising and business advisory needs of public and private companies and high-net-worth individuals. B. Riley operates through several wholly-owned subsidiaries which offer complementary end-to-end capabilities spanning investment banking and institutional brokerage, private wealth and investment management, corporate advisory, restructuring, due diligence, forensic accounting and litigation support, appraisal and valuation, and auction and liquidation services. Certain registered affiliates of B. Riley originate and underwrite senior secured loans for asset-rich companies. The Company also makes proprietary investments in companies and assets with attractive return profiles.

 

 

 

 

Forward-Looking Statements

 

Statements in this press release that are not descriptions of historical facts are forward-looking statements that are based on management’s current expectations and assumptions and are subject to risks and uncertainties. If such risks or uncertainties materialize or such assumptions prove incorrect, our business, operating results, financial condition and stock price could be materially negatively affected. You should not place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements, which are based on the information currently available to us and speak only as of the date of this press release. Such forward looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the terms and conditions and timing of the preferred stock offering and the intended use of proceeds. Because these forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties, there are important factors that could cause actual results, events or developments to differ materially from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ include (without limitation) the possibility that the preferred stock offering will not be consummated at the expected time, on the expected terms, or at all; and the Company’s financial performance; and those risks described from time to time in B. Riley Financial’s periodic filings with the SEC, including, without limitation, the risks described in B. Riley Financial’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2018 under the captions “Risk Factors” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.” Additional information is also set forth in our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2019. These factors should be considered carefully, and readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements. All information is current as of the date this press release is issued, and B. Riley Financial undertakes no duty to update this information.

 

Investor Contact

 

Investor Relations

ir@brileyfin.com

(310) 966-1444

 

Media Contact

 

Jo Anne McCusker

jmccusker@brileyfin.com

(646) 885-5425